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To John Jenner Weir   27 February [1868]

Summary

Thanks JJW for his paper on apterous insects [see 5939], which contained much new information.

Asks JJW for any information he may have on sexual selection.

Describes an experiment, still untried, of staining tail-feathers of male pigeons in bright colours to find the effect on courtship.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  27 Feb [1868]
Classmark:  Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-5942

To J. J. Weir   29 February [1868]

Summary

JJW’s note on birds was one of the most interesting CD has ever received. Asks several questions. CD is puzzled by cases of magpies whose mates were killed but who always immediately found others.

Alexander Wallace denies any effect of colour in sexual selection among Lepidoptera.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  29 Feb [1868]
Classmark:  Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-5958

To J. J. Weir   [6 March 1868]

Summary

Discusses beaks and relative numbers of the sexes of goldfinches.

Comments on sexual selection among butterflies.

Mentions Kerguelen moth collected by Hooker.

Comments on JJW’s observations on coloured birds.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  [6 Mar 1868]
Classmark:  American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.348)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-5986

To J. J. Weir   13 March [1868]

Summary

Thanks for facts about birds displaying plumage during courtship; "for Butterflies I must trust to analogy altogether in regard to sexual selection".

Invites JJW to visit in summer.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  13 Mar [1868]
Classmark:  The British Library (Egerton MS 2952: 8–10)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6009

To J. J. Weir   22 March [1868]

Summary

Glad to hear about pigeons. Did not know some birds could win affections of females more than others, except among peacocks.

Comments on polygamy in birds.

Discusses sex ratios among birds.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  22 Mar [1868]
Classmark:  Private collection
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6038

To J. J. Weir   27 March [1868]

Summary

Thanks for information [about sex ratios] received from bird-catchers.

"Can you form any theory about all the many cases which you have given me and others which have been published, of when one pair is killed, another soon appearing?"

Facts about gay-coloured caterpillars very satisfactory.

Comments on Pangenesis.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  27 Mar [1868]
Classmark:  Linnean Society of London (Quentin Keynes Collection)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6059

To J. J. Weir   4 April [1868]

Summary

CD thanks JJW for the mine of information his last "ten!" letters contain. Comments on sexual display of pheasants and colour preferences of pigeons.

Asks about hens that pair earliest in spring and about possible existence of unpaired birds.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  4 Apr [1868]
Classmark:  American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6090

To J. J. Weir   18 April [1868]

Summary

Discusses rapid replacement of mates among birds. "I begin to think that the pairing of birds must be as delicate and tedious an operation as the pairing of young gentlemen and ladies. If I can convince myself that there are habitually many unpaired birds it will be a great aid to me in sexual selection". Notes rivalry of singing birds.

Heard from George Rolleston of the inherited effects of an eye injury.

Disagrees with A. R. Wallace’s idea "that birds learn to make their nests from having seen them whilst young" ["The philosophy of birds’ nests", Intellect. Obs. 11 (1867): 413–20].

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  18 Apr [1868]
Classmark:  Duke University, Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RL.10387)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6128

To J. J. Weir   7 May [1868]

Summary

Thanks JJW for his great assistance.

Discusses sexual selection in birds.

Sends queries on secondary sexual characteristics of birds.

Has often marvelled at the different growth of the flowering and creeping branches of ivy.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  7 May [1868]
Classmark:  American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6165

To J. J. Weir   30 May [1868]

Summary

Glad to have JJW’s opinion on nest-building. Wallace’s view [that skill is learned] is opposed to many facts.

Asks JJW about birds and their behaviour.

Wants information on the first plumage of different breeds of canaries.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  30 May [1868]
Classmark:  University of Chicago Library, Special Collections Research Center (Joseph Halle Schaffner collection box 1, folder 2)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6215

To J. J. Weir   5 June 1868

Summary

Sorry JJW cannot visit.

Will go to sea-side for five weeks at end of July.

Does Vidua have double annual moult? [See Descent 2: 181.]

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  5 June 1868
Classmark:  DAR 148: 317; Duke University, Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RL.10387)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6232

To J. J. Weir   18 June [1868]

Summary

CD thanks JJW for letter about the crimson breast of linnets

and the fate of a pugnacious female bullfinch.

Refers to JJW’s pointing out the number of Jenners and Weirs who have been naturalists, and cites some writings by men of those families about striking cases of birds.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  18 June [1868]
Classmark:  American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6250

To J. J. Weir   1 September 1868

Summary

Invites JJW to visit Down. Will try to get A. R. Wallace and H. W. Bates also.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  1 Sept 1868
Classmark:  DAR 148: 319
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6343

To J. J. Weir   17 October 1868

Summary

Enjoyed JJW’s visit.

Interested in changes in plumage of pheasants.

Still at work on sexual selection in birds.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  17 Oct 1868
Classmark:  DAR 148: 320
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6422

To J. J. Weir   [before 18 May 1868]

Summary

CD cannot remember whether correspondent believed the wing that Gallus bankiva opens and scrapes before the female, is ornamented. He fears it is not.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Jenner Weir
Date:  [before 18 May 1868]
Classmark:  American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-6537
Document type
letter (15)
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1868disabled_by_default
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09 (1)
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