Sir

Believing that you would be interested in the subjects to which I am about to refer, I take the liberty of writing you; As I think they are calculated to strengthen your views on the advance of the higher animals from that of lower forms: views which appear to me incontrovertible.

The first then, is that of a cow I saw here a short time ago, which had three toes on each of her fore feet, and all three quite fully and equally well developed. Some time ago this cow gave birth to a calf (which still lives) having exactly the same peculiarity. And on the cow being killed, which she was recently, A fetus was found in her. Also possesing the same abnormality.¹ The legs of the cow, as also that of her fetal young have been preserved, and are in the anatomical museum of our University.—

The next is that of a woman having two teats on her left breast, one being three inchs below the other.² Milk flows freely from both, although she never suckles her children from the lower one. She is the wife of a fisherman of this city, with whom I have been in the habit of going to sea in dredging expeditions &c, thus, from his knowing my wish to hear of anything strange connected with man and other animals, he told me of this peculiarity in his wife; and after some coxing, she consented to let me see her breast, a proceeding she was very shy in doing. She tells me that prior to her having children, the two nipples were about the same size, but now, that she gives suck to her children with the upper—or proper one only, it has become larger on that account. She has two daughters in her family, the youngest of the two has no apperance of the peculiarity, But she cannot say wheather the oldest one has it or no, as she will on no account allow her mother to see her breast, although asked to do so several times. So, in the present state of the matter we may conclude that the peculiarity is confined to the mother alone; unless indeed, the cause of the daughters refusal, is from her having it also. The fisher folk here are rather superstitious, and altogether strange in their ideas, especially as regards any personal defect &c. this being so, the girl may wish to prevent its being known that she has any such mark, from fear of being talked about, or looked upon by her acquaintances with some degree of superstitious dread.

The foregoing being facts, such as I nor any of the medical gentlemen here, to whom I have spoken on the subject have ever heard of befor, I thought it well to acquaint you of them. Perhaps you will kindly say what value (if any) such things are in support of your writings; They appear to me to be considerable.

If I have not made the matter sufficiently plain, I shall be happy to render you any further information on the subject you may desire, if such be within my power, & in the meantime | I remain Your ob^nt Sv^t | Geo Sim.

P.S. The cow had only one spurious toe on each leg, but in both her young the spurious toes were well developed. G.S.