Summary

Asks for reference to EB’s article about tame deer on island in Aral Sea.

Summary

Asks for a letter on the tameness of deer, written by Commander A. Boutakoff to R. I. Murchison and printed in the Journal [J. R. Geogr. Soc. 23 (1853): 93–101].

Summary

Asks to meet EB for a walk in the Zoological Gardens.

Summary

Sends some original observations on British ferns [not found].

Has secured a small pension and hopes to acquire a house near Kew.

Summary

Gives CD reference to case of the saiga, an antelope, fearless of man.

Reports observations by New Zealander who has seen heaps of pebbles presumably voided by Dinornis.

Summary

Wants to know when he may visit CD.

Summary

Comments on ARW’s view of colouring in relation to sexual selection and protection. It is not new to CD. Hopes to discuss subject fully in his "Essay on Man" [Descent]. As to the problem of brightly coloured females, CD is not satisfied that it is due to males taking over incubation. Admires "value and beauty" of ARW’s generalisations.

Summary

Thanks for the remittance.

Both WBT and Mr Zurhorst will repeat Zurhorst’s experiment to eliminate any chance of error.

Edward Blyth is writing on Indian cattle for the Field [27 (1866): 55–6, 77].

Summary

Has written to A. J. Gower.

Sends more copies of Queries about expression.

Pall Mall Gazette article [see 6342] is monstrous to say religion did not attack science. Should scientific men ignore whole subject of religion?

Sends French journal with article on JDH and one (weak) by Agassiz on geographical distribution.

M. J. Berkeley has sent his address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): 83–7].

CD differs with JDH on Owen; could hardly bear to shake hands with him.

Wallaces, Blyth, Jenner Weirs are coming to stay on Sunday.

Summary

Corrects some facts and gives further information on some points for the 2d ed. of Variation.

Specific distinctions among animals.

Cercopithecus of Africa contrasted with the Cebus of South America.

Notes on domestic fowls and their ancestors.

Slow growth of wild animals compared with domestic varieties.

Summary

Accepts invitation.

Summary

Gives extract from a letter from Capt. R. Tickell: rabbits are not bred by the Burmese; common European and Chinese geese are bred but have probably only recently been introduced.

EB gives references to works illustrating the dog-like instinct of N. American wolves.

Discusses reason and instinct; ascribes both to man and animals. Comments on various instincts, e. g. homing, migratory, parental, constructive, and defensive. Reasoning in animals; cattle learning to overcome fear of passing trains.

Hybrid sterility as an indication of distinct species. Interbreeding as an indication of common parentage.

Enlarges upon details given by J. C. Prichard [in The natural history of man (1843)].

Adaptation of the two-humped camel to cold climates. Camel hybrids.

Doubts that domestic fowl or fancy pigeons have ever reverted to the wild.

Feral horses and cattle of S. America.

Believes the "creole pullets" to be a case of inaccurate description.

Variations in skulls between species of wild boar.

Pigs are so prolific that the species might be expected to cross.

Milk production of cows and goats.

Sheep and goats of lower Bengal.

Indian breeds of horses.

Variation in Asiatic elephants.

Spread of American tropical and subtropical plants in the East.

EB distinguishes between races and artificially-produced breeds.

[CD’s notes are an abstract of this memorandum.]

Summary

On triumph of "Darwinianism".

Discussion of their differences on subject of protection.

Summary

Testifies to the courtesy and helpfulness of George Gray [assistant at the British Museum]. [See 402b.]

Summary

The problem of dimorphic plants and their fertility.

Summary

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

Summary

Is collecting facts for Variation; would be grateful for skins of local [Cape of Good Hope] breeds of pigeons, ducks, and poultry.

Summary

John Scott’s career.

Huxley’s vicious attack on anthropologists.

Critique of Joseph Prestwich’s theory of rivers.

Bitter feelings between the Hookers and the Veitch family of nurserymen.

Summary

Encloses "notes for Mr. D" [see 1818] and a memorandum on the wild cattle of southern India [see 1819].

Breeds of silky fowl of China and Malaya. Black-skinned fowl.

Doubts any breed of canary has siskin blood; all remain true to their type.

Wild canary and finch hybrids.

Hybrids between one- and two-humped camels.

Does not regard zebra markings on asses as an indication of interbreeding but as one of the many instances of markings in the young which more or less disappear in the adult.

Crossing of Coracias species at the edges of their ranges.

Regional variations and intergrading between species of pigeons.

Regards the differences in Treron as specific [see Natural selection, p. 115 n. 1].

Gives other instances of representative species or races differing only in certain details of colouring.

Summary

Origin of domestic varieties. EB ascribes "abnormal" variations to man’s propagation of casual monstrosities; believes "normal" variations, e.g. European races of cattle, are a consequence of man’s selecting the choicest specimens. Gives examples of "abnormal" variations; they give rise to features that have no counterpart among possible wild progenitors. Divides domestic animals into those whose origin is known and those whose origin is unknown. Considers that the wild progenitors of nearly all domestic birds are known. Fowls and pigeons show many varieties but if propagated abnormalities are ignored each group can be seen to be variations of a single species, the ancestors of which can be recognised without difficulty. Discusses varieties and ancestry of the domestic fowl. Variation in the wild; the ruff shows exceptional variability; other species of birds show variability in size of individuals. Remarks that markings sometimes vary on different sides of the same animal. Comments on the want of regularity in leaf and petal patterns of some plants. Discusses domestic varieties of reindeer and camels. Origin of humped cattle. Reports the rapid spread of a snail in lower Bengal that was introduced as a single pair five or six years previously.

[CD’s notes are an abstract of part of this memorandum. Memorandum originally enclosed with 1760.]