Darwin Correspondence Project

Downe Bromley Kent

Oct. 19th

My dear Sir

I am glad you think the young Cock worth having: it will do for the Pot, after you have looked at it.— It shall be at Carstangs on Thursday morning, which is first day our Carrier goes up.— These Fowls came from interior village of Sierra Leone, & please state that they were sent to me by the kindness of Staff-Surgeon Dr Daniell. He states that they offer a good idea of the pure fowls of that country & for some way north of it. The fowls further S. on the west Coast, viz at Congo &c are smaller, not much larger than Bantams & are very beautiful of red, white & black colours. But since I wrote, I have on making further enquiry heard that he has some fears that another cock had access to the Hen, & this may account for one of my two Hens having more of the Malay aspect. He says these Cockrels quite resemble in plumage the pure mother.— I observe that they are very pugnacious even the hens chasing my other fowls.— It is odd that they do not seem to have felt the prodigious change of climate, & from the first have been very amorous! I notice they eat the leaves of the Dandelion,—a plant they could never have seen before arriving here.

I cannot think of anything else to tell you about them.—

If you kill the cockrel, you had better keep the head.—

I am truly pleased that the Scanderoons have been worth your receiving.—

I shd like to have a Catalogue of poor excellent Mr Yarrells Library &c—

Yours in Haste | C. Darwin

P.S. I shd be extremely glad of a few pure Malay Eggs.