Tegetmeier, W. B. to Darwin, C. R.
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WBT interested in ancestors of domestic guinea-fowl, ducks, and geese.
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Egg colours in fowls.
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Transcription
Muswell Hill
Monday Dec
My dear Sir
I did not write before as I expected to see M
My single experiment was that a spanish hen running with cochins laid perfectly white eggs, that were fertilized by the cochin and from which I hatched chickens
I regretted much not seeing you I wished to ask you your conclusions respecting the original stock of the Guinea fowl, the Duck—The so called Buenos Ayres duck and the Goose— I know practically very little of the origin of these birds and should like to be in accord with you in the Poultry Book
Trusting you are quite strong | Believe me | Yours very truly | W B Tegetmeier.
C Darwin Esq
Should you like to write to M
Belleville
Donny brook
C
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- f1 5299.f1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 4 December [1866]. - +
- f2 5299.f2
CD had asked for Frederick William Zurhorst's address in order to ask him about the eggs of a cross between a Cochin hen and a Spanish fowl (see letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 4 December [1866] and n. 2). - +
- f3 5299.f3
CD had been unable to see Tegetmeier in London during his November visit (see letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 4 December [1866] and n. 3). - +
- f4 5299.f4
The Buenos Aires duck was also referred to as the Labrador or the East Indian duck (see Tegetmeier 1867, p. 306, and Variation 1: 276). CD described the Labrador duck in Variation as having entirely black plumage and as a variety of the common domestic duck, descended from the common wild duck, Anas boschas (Variation 1: 276--7). - +
- f5 5299.f5
The reference is to Tegetmeier 1867 (see letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, 22 January [1866] and nn. 10 and 11).