Dear Sclater

Perhaps you will have heard that I ventured to send to Gardens temporarily 2 Rabbits from P. Santo.¹ If they are like one brought by Wollaston for me in Spirits, they are curiosities.² They have been feral for 450 years! I have history of their origin: they all spring from one doe brought by Zarco.³ The one examined by me differed in skull & shape of dorsal vertebræ; in size greatly; in general colouring above & below; in colour of upper side of tail & in ears not being edged with black.— In fact, if these are the general characters, it is a new species !!⁴

I am in perplexity, for I am going (probably about 10^th.) to Torquay for my daughters health with most of my servants, for two months; & I dare not leave these rabbits here. Will you speak about care being taken of them, & getting them to breed if buck & doe; if not to cross them with some odd coloured variety to see if quite fertile.⁵ If they sh^d die it would break my heart not to see the body fresh.—

Now would you be so very kind as to tell me whether they seem likely to live, & what Bartlett thinks of them, as appearing different from common English rabbit.

Pray forgive me & grant the favour.—

Dear Sclater | Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin

When I get to Torquay, I will send my address, in case one or both sh^d die for Body to be sent me.—