Darwin, C. R. to Yarrell, William
- +
CD is too dull and languid to see Mr Bicheno but will be glad to answer his questions if he writes.
- +
Asks WY to ask J. Sebright "whether the cross with white bantam brought back any of the ""secondary male characters"" to the hen–cock breed".
Summary Add
Transcription
–
–
Dear Yarrell
I feel too dull & languid to see anyone to day—so will you please
give my compliments to M
I enjoyed my conversation with you yesterday, but the exertion knocked me up.— Do not forget when you see Sir J. Sebright to ask him whether the cross with the white Bantam brought back any of the “secondary male characters” to the hen-cock breed.
Believe me | dear Yarrell | Yours most truly |
C. Darwin
12 Upper Gower St
Monday
- +
- f1 613.f1
James Ebenezer Bicheno was appointed Colonial Secretary of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in September 1842 (DNB); he probably sought information about the colony from CD. - +
- f2 613.f2
Sir John Saunders Sebright. In Natural selection (p. 36) CD refers to him as ‘an acute observer … who bred all sorts of animals during his whole life, & who boasted that he could produce any feather in [three] years & any form in [six] years’. He bred the famous Sebright bantam, in which the cocks lack male plumage (EB, 22: 215).