Darwin Correspondence Project

 

Quick search Advanced search...
Letter icon
Letter 3317

Darwin, C. R. to Waterhouse, G. R.

12 Nov [1861]

    Summary Add

  • +

    Returns a letter from a Mr Walsh – "a clear-headed man on my side". What he says about sea trout in lochs would make a good case for CD if borne out by professional ichthyologists.

Transcription

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Nov. 12th

My dear Waterhouse

Many thanks for the enclosed interesting letter.— It always pleases me to see a clear-headed man on my side, & especially if he be bold enough to speak out, & thus render really efficient aid.— For it will require much speaking out before this side will receive fair toleration.—

Mr. Walsh has evidently been a close & good observer of Fishes.— What he says about the Sea-Trout in the Loch is very curious; & it would be very desirable that some professed Ichthyologist should examine these Trout.— It would make a good case for me.— But until thus examined & pronounced on, cavillers would simply deny that the fish was a sea-trout.—

I hope to see you before long, for I shall be up on the 21st to read a paper at Linn. Soc.—

Did you ever look at the skull of the Borneo Domestic Cat, which I gave you?—

My dear Waterhouse | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin

    Footnotes Add

  • +
    f1 3317.f1
    Dated by CD's reference to reading a paper before the Linnean Society of London (see n. 4, below).
  • +
    f2 3317.f2
    The enclosure has not been found.
  • +
    f3 3317.f3
    Walsh has not been identified.
  • +
    f4 3317.f4
    CD read a paper on the two forms of Primula to the Linnean Society on Thursday, 21 November 1861 (see Collected papers 2: 45--63).
  • +
    f5 3317.f5
    CD had obtained specimens of cats and other domestic animals from Borneo through James Brooke, the raja of Sar´awak (see Correspondence vol. 5, CD memorandum, [December 1855]; and vol. 6, letter to A. R. Wallace, 1 May 1857). Waterhouse had examined a South American feral cat CD brought back from the Beagle voyage (see Variation 1: 47).
Maximized view Print letter