To P. L. Sclater 2 June [1861]
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
June 2d
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 10th.) 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 shd 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 shd die for Body to be sent me.—
Footnotes
Bibliography
Kerr, Robert. 1811–24. A general history and collection of voyages and travels … forming a complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land, from the earliest ages to the present time. 18 vols. Edinburgh.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Discusses feral rabbits of Porto Santo. Arranges for care of rabbits while the Darwins visit Torquay.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3173
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Philip Lutley Sclater
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.252)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3173,” accessed on 23 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3173.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 9