My dear Sir

I hope that you will not have quite forgotten a call, most pleasant to me, which you were so good as to make on me in Glasgow.¹ You there mentioned two or three things, which on reflection have interested me so much, that I hope you will excuse me troubling you in regard to them. You said that you had measurements of tigers, showing differences in their proportions & that you could let me have a copy, this I sh^d. value much.—²

You, also, referred to some work in an Eastern language, with remarks on domestic Pigeons (& Poultry?);³ if the extracts are short, I sh^d. be extremely grateful for any, or even for any enumeration of the breeds or races. I should mention that I have heard that such exist in the Ayin Akbaree in Persian (I know not whether I have spelt this right) but as this work is translated I can consult it in the India House.⁴

Lastly I want to beg a very great favour of you, if in your power to grant it, & I think your wonderful zeal for Nat. History will lead you to help me if you can.— I am trying energetically to get the skins of all the domestic varieties of Pigeons & Poultry from all parts of the world, in order to study the amount of variation.— Now if there is any one, who can for payment skin birds, will you aid me by making enquiries of any natives for the names of any varieties which are supposed to have been long bred in the country, & then direct the bird skinner to purchase such birds & skin them for me; the skinner might buy very old birds, which would be best for me & cheapest.— I could easily, permit me to say, repay you.—⁵

The only caution required would be not to get birds recently introduced from Europe.— This would be an enormous assistance to me.— I sh^d. like to have the native name, & a notice whether any of the varieties are Tumblers or Carrier.— There are Tumblers in India with most curious habits.⁶ The birds sh^d. be adult or old; a characteristic specimen sh^d. be selected; & in skinning the whole of the bones of wing & leg sh^d. be left in, & as much as possible of the skull.— In Poultry Cock & Hen sh^d. be selected; but in Madras itself, probably all the Poultry will be imported breeds.— Now can you forgive me asking you to take so much trouble? I fear you will think me very unreasonable & I have nothing to trust to, but your goodnature.

Pray believe me, with many apologies. My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

I fear my address is very incorrect; but living in country, I have no one to ask