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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Charles Henry Binstead   17 April 1868

Sandal Wakefield

April 17. 1868

My dear Sir

I have had during the past few days the pleasure of reading your valuable & interesting book on “The Variation of Animals &c under domestication”—1

—As an ornithologist in a very small way I have read with great interest your Chapter on Ducks &c   But I do not notice that you have observed a change that I fancy takes place in Mallards when becoming domesticated— it is this   that in the wild Duck the claws are black whereas in the tame ones they are white   I think I have noticed this in several cases & take the liberty of informing you—as it may have escaped your observation &—should there be anything in it & your book reaches a 2nd Edition—it may be of service to you in rendering the same more complete.2

I have taken the liberty of forwarding you this letter through the hands of your publisher Mr. Murray.3

I am Dr Sir | Yours very faithfully | Chas. H. Binstead

The | Revd. C. Darwin M.d.

Footnotes

The reference is to Variation.
For the section on ducks, see Variation 1: 276–87. CD discussed changes in wild ducks under domestication in Variation 2: 262–3; no changes were made in the second edition (Variation 2d ed., 2: 250).
John Murray.

Bibliography

Variation 2d ed.: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1875.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Summary

In reading Variation, notices CD has not observed that after mallards have been domesticated their claws turn from black to white.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-6126
From
Charles Henry Binstead
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Wakefield
Source of text
DAR 160: 185
Physical description
ALS 4pp †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6126,” accessed on 9 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6126.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16

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