From George St Clair 14 August 1869
Banbury | Oxon.
14th Aug. 1869.
Dear Sir,
In your last book you say you have heard of a family of six-toed cats” (Vol. I. p. 48.)1 I have seen two members of such a family, in this town.
I learn that the first was brought here from Brighton by Mrs. Grimbly, of the High Street, & afterwards came into the possession of Mr. H. Walford, High Street.2 It is said to have had six toes on each of its two front paws. It is now dead, but has left a score of descendants, of which one or two in every litter has had extra toes. One now in the possession of Mr. H. Walford I have seen. It has six claws on each front paw; & differs from others of the family (from all others of the family as far as Mr W. knows) in having a sixth claw on the left hind foot also & in possessing a bushy tail. The feet attract notice by their largeness, as soon as you ⟨see⟩ the cat. The family are said to be goo⟨d⟩ ratters. I saw another six-toed cat ⟨of⟩ this family in the possession of the Rev. H. A. Nash, formerly of this town & now of London.3 I have also the names of thr⟨ee⟩ other persons in this town said to possess specimens; & I think I could procure one for you, if you like. If you do not wish for one, nor place any value on these particulars, pray pardon me for troubling you.
I am, Dear Sir, | Yours faithfully | George St. Clair.
Chas. Darwin, Esq. F.R.S.
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Post Office directory of Northamptonshire etc.: Post Office directory of Berkshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, with Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Huntingdonshire. The Post Office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. The Post Office directory of the counties of Bedford, Huntingdon, Northampton, Berks, Buckingham and Oxford. London: Kelly and Co. [1847]–77.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Reports on a family of cats observed locally in which some members are six-toed.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6864
- From
- George St Clair
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Banbury
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 6 (fragile)
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp damaged †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6864,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6864.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17