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 |
Darwin, C. R. | (15) |
Darwin, C. R. | |
Weir, J. J. | (15) |