Summary

Asks for WBT’s help in arranging for woodcuts to illustrate pigeon chapters of Variation.

Summary

Arrangements for woodcuts for Variation.

WBT’s excellent article on crossing.

Summary

Has lost time through illness.

Suggests an experiment to see whether the progeny of a pigeon cross are affected by a previous impregnation.

Summary

WBT will try experiment for CD if Mr Zurhorst cannot do it.

Summary

CD has asked him to supervise drawings of pigeons and fowls [for Variation]. Sends estimates for drawings and engravings by artists who do such work for the Field.

Summary

Instructions for Luke Wells about woodcuts for Variation.

Summary

Sends copies of the Field containing all the pigeon articles [see 4785].

Luke Wells will undertake engravings for Variation.

Summary

Fowl MS has arrived safely.

Sends pigeon MS for WBT’s perusal.

Further instructions for Luke Wells.

Summary

Will return page on pigeons.

Has concluded his crossing experiments and found no trace of hybrid sterility or loss of fertility.

The Field is publishing a series of papers on different pigeon varieties [24 (1864): 366, 395, 459; 25 (1865): 115, 139, 155, 228, 258].

Summary

MS [of CD’s pigeon chapter] arrived safely.

Pigeon and poultry engravings [for Variation].

Summary

CD interested in hybrid sterility and encloses his preliminary MS. Outlines experiments to test for existence of sterility in breeds of poultry and pigeons.

Experiments on dimorphism have led him to change in part his opinion as given in Origin, and he is now asking pigeon and poultry fanciers for any examples of special selective sterility [i.e., a particular pair are sterile when crossed, but each individual is fertile with others] and hopes to investigate its inheritance.

Summary

WBT’s eye is getting on very well.

Enclosure comments on a note to folio 1 [of CD’s MS on variation], WBT thinks his works not worth citing: his edition of the Poultry book was never completed and Profitable poultry is out of print.

Summary

Has made progress [on Variation]. Hopes it will go to press in the autumn. Lists his needs for cuts to be made – altogether 50.

Supposes Origin has ceased selling. Would be sorry to have labour of another edition. A new French edition is wanted.

Summary

What progress has been made with pigeon drawings for Variation?

Can WBT persuade Mr Zurhorst to repeat a pigeon experiment?

Summary

Encloses some poultry feathers.

Will read over and return CD’s MS on fowls. Has been delayed by an eye injury.

Summary

CD working on Variation; he will soon want corrected fowl MS [Variation, ch. 7].

WBT’s breeding experiments produced no sterility.

Summary

Discusses pigeon and poultry woodcuts [for Variation].

WBT’s poultry book is at last in the hands of a solvent publisher [The poultry book (1867)].

Summary

WBT progressing with breeding experiments for CD.

CD making quicker progress with Variation.

Summary

Gives CD genus and species names of the singular humming-bird; distressed by specific name made necessary by revised laws of nomenclature.

Summary

Would like his fowl skulls back.

Breeding experiments seem to show mongrels are just as fertile as pure breeds.