Dear Sir

Professor Flower has suffered from a long illness & this has caused much delay in the examination of the wings of the geese.¹ But I received yesterday his Report & letter which I enclose (& which need not be returned) as you may like to see them.² I fear that there is no connection between the deformity & the injury. The owner when he saw several goslings thus deformed, (a not uncommon form of quasi inheritance) remembered the accident, & naturally attributed the deformity to this cause. It has been probably a case of “post hoc” & not “propter hoc”.—³ I grieve that you sh^d. have expended so much time, trouble & great kindness in vain.

As for myself I am well accustomed in my experimental work to get definite results only once in three or four times, & thus alone can Science prosper.—

With my renewed thanks | I remain Dear Sir | Yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin