My dear Sir

With respect to Fowls, I shall be truly obliged if you can assist me on the following points.

Does the plumage of young birds when about 7 or 8 weeks old closely resemble that of the adults in

Cuckoo Dorkings (or other Cuckoo sub-breeds)

& Sebright Bantams

& Silver Laced Polish: with respect to these latter I want specially to know what is the character in colour of the topknot at 7 or 8 weeks old.—¹

In Buff Cochins, the adult sexes are nearly alike or not very different, whilst in Partridge Cochins, the adults in your Poultry Book differ considerably; therefore I sh^d like to learn the character of the young. Could you aid me about Cochins? My cook² doubts rather whether she could manage to remember & keep distinct so many as 5 lots of fowls; but if you could procure me eggs of Buff & Partridge Cochins, perhaps this would be the best plan. Also eggs of Pile Game, Golden Pencilled Hamburghs & Golden Spangled Polish: so that there will be 3 or 5 lots of eggs.— Golden Spangled Polish will be very interesting, in comparison with silver Polish, because I see in former that the topknot differs in colour in adult males & females; therefore I want much to know what is character of top-knot in chickens 7–8 weeks old.—

My Cook says she shall have hens ready in under a fortnight.— If eggs are sent by Rail, address them to “C. Darwin care of Down Postman, Bromley Kent”—or I could send carrier on any Thursday morning to Field Office.—³

You said you w^d. ask M^r. Teebay what breed of sheep his estimate of sexes referred to. Will you further ask him what is colour of Black Hamburgh chickens about 7–8 old; he is such a splendid observer, he may perhaps remember.— His statement about the chickens of all 4 sub-breeds⁴

When shall you be able to send me the m.s. about sexes of cattle, dogs &c fowls, ducks &c.; not that I am in a hurry, for my subject has grown very large in my endeavour to trace sexual differences througout the animal kingdom.⁵

Forgive me for earnestly begging you to keep some memorandum of the time consumed in correspondence, personal enquiries &c &c &c for me; for it would greatly distress me to think that I had prevented your writing Reviews or Books, which would have been more profitable & more interesting to you. You will be able by keeping a memorandum to put some value on the time which you so very kindly give to me, & I shall then feel at ease & thoroughily grateful to you. In simple truth I shall otherwise feel great perplexity & discomfort.—⁶

With sincere thanks | Believe me, my dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin