From Charles Théophile Gaudin1 [15 August 1860]2
On a depuis peu d’années une nouvelle race d’abeilles qui ont une trompe plus longue et peuvent sucer le treffle rouge. Une ruche de miel pese jusqu’‘a 90 lb tandis qu’une bonne ruche de l’abeille ordinaire ne pèse que 60 lb. Cette abeille ne pique pas; elle aime l’homme On l’appelle ligurienne. Elle est cultivée dans les Grisons3 et un Suisse en a emporté cet été une cargaison aux Etats Unis—
Je serais heureux de procurer ‘a M. Darwin tous les renseignemens qui pourraient lui être agréables sur ce sujet4
Charles Th Gaudin
Eglantine, Lausanne
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Gaudin, Charles Théophile. 1859. Modifications apportées par M. Falconer à la faune du Val d’Arno. Bulletin des Séances de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 6: 130–1.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Translation
From Charles Théophile Gaudin1 [15 August 1860]2
In recent years we have had a new race of bees, which have a longer proboscis and can suck red clover. A hive of honey weighs up to 90 lb., whereas a good hive of the ordinary bee weighs only 60 lb. This bee does not sting; it likes humans. It is called the Ligurian bee It is raised in the Grisons,3 and a Swiss has this summer taken a shipment of them to the United States.
I shall be delighted to provide Mr Darwin with any information he would like on this subject4
Charles Th Gaudin Eglantine, Lausanne
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Gaudin, Charles Théophile. 1859. Modifications apportées par M. Falconer à la faune du Val d’Arno. Bulletin des Séances de la Société Vaudoise des Sciences Naturelles 6: 130–1.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Summary
Offers to supply CD with information about a new "race" of bees with a larger proboscis. They produce more honey as a result of being able to probe to greater depths.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2897
- From
- Charles-Théophile Gaudin
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Lausanne
- Source of text
- DAR 47: 164
- Physical description
- ALS 1p (French) inc
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2897,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2897.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 8