To W. B. Tegetmeier 4 [July 1858]¹

Down Bromley Kent

4^th

My dear Sir

I write one line to say that I have had death & severe illness & misery amongst my children, & am going at once to leave home for some weeks for their health.—² Therefore all my Pigeon work must be deferred till my return.³

I hope you received the P. order for the Bee-Hive sent about the 23^d. ⁴

My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin

If you are able kindly to send young Turbit— Please mark outside “dead Pigeon to be put in Spirits”.⁵

Footnotes

1

Dated by the reference to the death of Charles Waring Darwin.

2

See letter to W. D. Fox, 2 July [1858].

3

CD had begun to write up the results of his study of pigeons on 14 June 1858. He was not able to return to the work until 17 August (‘Journal’; Appendix II).

4

See letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 22 June [1858].

5

See letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 14 April [1858].