To E. W. V. Harcourt 19 August [1856]
Summary
Asks to borrow C. L. Brehm’s book [Handbuch der Naturgeschichte aller Vögel Deutschlands (1831)]. Wants to see how far Brehm went in splitting species.
Took finches from Madeira to British Museum.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Edward William Vernon Harcourt |
Date: | 19 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Houghton Library, Harvard University (Autograph File, D) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1451 |
From Asa Gray [early August 1856]
Summary
Believes intermediate varieties are generally less numerous in individuals than the two states that they connect.
Discusses the difficulties of deciding what is the typical form of a species
and gives some opinions on the variability of introduced species compared with indigenous species.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [early Aug 1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 93 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1934 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier [15–22 August 1856]
Summary
Is collecting only pigeons that differ in proportions, so declines some birds offered by WBT.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | [15–22 Aug 1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1935 |
From J. S. Henslow 2 August 1856
Summary
One plant in self-sown patch of Aegilops has assumed a triticoidal character; JSH feels it may be an example of Aegilops passing to wheat.
Author: | John Stevens Henslow |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2 Aug 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 178 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1936 |
From J. D. Hooker 4 August 1856
Summary
JDH’s arguments against transmutation: 1. Plants do not show the confusion he would expect; 2. Under clearly similar physical conditions we do not find same species.
JDH’s argument against migration: commonality of alpine species. Believes migration opposes facts of botanical distribution in Van Diemen’s Land and New Zealand; prefers continental extension theory.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 4 Aug 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 100: 100–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1937 |
To J. D. Hooker 5 August [1856]
Summary
Agrees that Lyell’s letters shed no new light on extensions issue. Continental extensions: opposes their being hypothesised all over world.
Commonality of alpine plants damns both extension and migration.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 5 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 173 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1938 |
To J. S. Henslow 6 August [1856]
Summary
Reports on results of forcing and other attempts to produce variations in plants. Asks for some seeds.
Is correcting his Linnean Society paper ["On the action of sea-water", Collected papers 1: 264–71].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Stevens Henslow |
Date: | 6 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 93: A55–A56 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1939 |
To J. D. Hooker 7 August [1856]
Summary
Antarctic plants most difficult to account for on any theory. Lyell’s iceberg transportal of seeds.
Are there more representative species of American origin in Tristan da Cunha than in Kerguelen land?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 7 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 174 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1940 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier 14 August [1856]
Summary
Inquires about pigeons seen at Anerley show.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 14 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1941 |
To Ebenezer Norman 17 [August 1856]
Summary
Thanks EN for copying a MS [on "Geographical distribution" (Natural selection, pp. 534–66)]. Increases his payment and offers EN work in the future.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Ebenezer Norman |
Date: | 17 [Aug 1856] |
Classmark: | Mrs K. M. B. Thompson (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1941A |
To T. C. Eyton 21 August [1856]
Summary
Asks whether offspring of cross between African pig and common pig are fertile. Are Lord Rowland Hill’s African pigs domesticated?
Mentions pigeons’ skeletons.
Is working at a book on variation [Natural selection].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 21 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.135) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1942 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier 23 August [1856]
Summary
Instructions for delivering pigeons to Down.
Has Scandaroons for WBT.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 23 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1943 |
To Asa Gray 24 August [1856]
Summary
Rarity of intermediate varieties.
Variability of introduced plants.
Ranges of plants common to Europe and U. S.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 24 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (36) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1944 |
To T. C. Eyton 27 [August 1856]
Summary
Asks about strains of Herefordshire cattle.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 27 [Aug 1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.136) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1946 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier 30 August [1856]
Summary
Will forward the Scandaroons.
Is crossing all his pigeons to see which are fertile.
Hopes WBT’s work on fowls’ skulls is not forestalled by T. C. Eyton who also has a grand collection of skeletons.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 30 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1947 |
To T. C. Eyton 31 August [1856]
Summary
Asks whether number of incisors varies in domestic pigs. Is testing views of J. M. Bechstein.
Comments on TCE’s book [Herd book of Hereford cattle (1846–59)]. Mentions variations in the breed.
Will quote TCE on geese [Mag. Nat. Hist. 4 (1840): 90–2].
Problem of geographical distribution; his seed-salting experiments. Asks about distribution of seeds to islands. Do water-birds ever have dirty feet?
Could Eyton’s gamekeepers collect owl and hawk pellets? Asks for dace stomachs and contents.
Asks for cats’ skeletons.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 31 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.137) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1948 |
From Bernard Peirce Brent [after August 1856]
Summary
On his breeding of Jacobin pigeons. How reciprocal crosses to produce mules work among canaries, goldfinches, linnets, and green linnets.
Will soon forward copies of Cottage Gardener for June.
Author: | Bernard Peirce Brent |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [after Aug 1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 160.2: 298 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2850 |
To E. W. V. Harcourt 23 August [1856]
Summary
Has received [C. L.?] Brehm’s work [unspecified]. Will return it in two or three weeks.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Edward William Vernon Harcourt |
Date: | 23 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Wellcome Collection |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4598 |
To Frances Mackintosh Wedgwood 18 [August 1856 – January 1858]
Summary
Is flattered by a proposal that he undertake some reviewing work, but has many years’ work in prospect on his present book on species and varieties.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Frances Emma Elizabeth (Fanny) Mackintosh; Frances Emma Elizabeth (Fanny) Wedgwood |
Date: | 18 [Aug 1856 - Jan 1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 148: 303 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1810 |
letter | (19) |
Darwin, C. R. | (15) |
Brent, B. P. | (1) |
Gray, Asa | (1) |
Henslow, J. S. | (1) |
Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (4) |
Tegetmeier, W. B. | (4) |
Eyton, T. C. | (3) |
Harcourt, E. W. V. | (2) |
Hooker, J. D. | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | |
Tegetmeier, W. B. | (4) |
Eyton, T. C. | (3) |
Hooker, J. D. | (3) |
Gray, Asa | (2) |
Harcourt, E. W. V. | (2) |
Henslow, J. S. | (2) |
Brent, B. P. | (1) |
Mackintosh, F. E. E. | (1) |
Norman, Ebenezer | (1) |
Wedgwood, F. E. E. | (1) |