My dear Fox

I am very much obliged for your Rabbit Letter: I have forgotten your having before mentioned to me this breed: I presume it is that called at Shows the “Himalaya breed”.—¹ You call it black nosed & brown-tailed; I suppose the ears are black. If not, & you could get me an old accidentally dead specimen I sh^d. be very glad, but I can hardly doubt it is the so-called Himalaya, one of which I have now skeletonising from Zoolog. Soc^y.— I am particularly glad to hear about this variety being so true: its history has been published, & I have it somewhere, but for the life of me I cannot tell where.² It is was produced, I think, from a cross of two sub -breeds of the French Silver Grey Rabbit.— I know it is closely connected with Silver Greys. If the ears are not black, will you tell me: all that I have seen had red eyes.—

There is one odd point in this breed, which will serve to identify it, the young are quite white & the black ears &c appear subsequently.—³ I had forgotten that the under side of tail was brown.— By the way Silver-Grey Rabbits are quite black when born, a curious contrast with so called Himalaya.—

I have heard from M^r Woodd & will second him & if possible attend the voting.—⁴

In regard to Douche you will find the same water will last sweet, especially with charcoal floating on it, for a long time.⁵

Yours affectionately | C. Darwin