skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

From Lewis Wright   22 December 1879

La Belle Sauvage Yard, | Ludgate Hill, | London, E.C.

Dec 22 1879

Dear Sir

Looking over my “Book of Poultry” for revision, it has struck me that you might be interested in the chapter on the “origin of the Domestic Fowl,” and I therefore send you a copy.1 It is written some six years ago, & some items regarding the G. Stanleyii may be of use to you. I have since heard of similar facts but not had time to verify them: the fowl has by no means rarely been kept in England for greater or less time, imported by Jamrach & others.2

Perhaps I may venture to add that there are several errors in the poultry section of “Variation in A. & Plants.” I have not the book at hand, or looked at it for some months: but if my memory serves me, you say on some one’s authority that hundreds of Spanish might be bred pure, without the occurrence of a single red feather.3 The exact reverse is the fact: red is constantly occurring in all black fowls, & is kept down by the most rigorous breeding.

Things are better now, shows having during the last six years fixed many varieties more than formerly. But within a year or two either way of the date “Variation” was published, the late Mr Lane of Bristol, then the most celebrated Spanish breeder of the day, told me he had killed scores of fine birds for their red feathers.4 I have several times intended to make a note of this for you, but forgot it. Apart from any theory, you will I trust pardon my supposition that you may feel an interest in the facts

Truly yours | Lewis Wright

Ch. Darwin, Esq.

Footnotes

CD’s lightly annotated copy of part 21 of Wright’s Illustrated book of poultry (L. Wright [1873], chapters 30–2) is in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL; this letter is tipped in before the back cover. Wright published a revised edition in 1880 (L. Wright 1880). Chapter 31 is ‘Wild breeds of poultry—origin of the domestic fowl’.
In L. Wright [1873], pp. 495–501, Wright questioned CD’s view in Variation 1: 234 that Gallus stanleyii was not the parent of any domestic breed. Charles Jamrach was an importer of animals.
See Variation 1: 242: ‘The Spanish breed has long been known to breed true, and no instance is on record of its throwing a single red feather.’
The first edition of Variation was published in 1868. Henry Lane was a plumber in Bristol.

Bibliography

Wright, Lewis. [1873.] The illustrated book of poultry. London, Paris, and New York: Cassell Petter & Galpin.

Wright, Lewis. 1880. The illustrated book of poultry. Revised edition. London: Cassell & Co.

Summary

Is sending CD his Illustrated book of poultry in which the chapter on the "Origin of the domestic fowl" may be of interest.

He ventures to mention several errors in Variation.

Mentions the late Mr Lane of Bristol, a celebrated Spanish breeder (of poultry).

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12368A
From
Lewis Wright
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
La Belle Sauvage Yard, London, Ludgate Hill
Source of text
CUL, Darwin Pamphlet Collection Q301 (tipped into L. Wright [1873], pt 21)
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12368A,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12368A.xml

letter