Charles Darwin as Experimenter: One of Many Reasons to Remember him at 200

The paper is divided into three parts. First, Darwin’s contribution is briefly reviewed, by considering the thoughts of some of his critics, from his own time to today. Secondly, Darwin’s creativity and precision as an experimenter are illustrated through a consideration of a series of experiments on mentation in earthworms. Finally, an Adelaide connexion is discussed, for the light it sheds on the reception of Darwin’s greatest work.