To William Preyer 13 May 1871
[Bassett, Southampton]
May 13. 1871
My dear Sir
I am much obliged for your interesting letter about the human ear.1 I do not know at all what to think about the higher position of the ear in the old Egyptians; but it is evidently a point worth attending to. The astronomer Jansen sent me a message the other day that he had observed something very curious about the ear-lap or ear-lobe (as I understood the message) in some of the native races of India.2 He said he would write to me; and if I hear, I will communicate with you, should the fact prove curious. Could you get any observations made at what period the ear of the human fœtus becomes folded? This seems to be worth enquiry, as in a photo. of an embryonic orang, the ear is pointed, i.e, not folded, like the outline of Rubens’ picture which you sent me.3 I thought Mr. Lankester was in Leipzig, and I sent him my thanks for his last letter through Dr. Nitzsche.4 Please to say to Mr. Lankester that his idea about the ear-lobe and the stretching of the ears by the Botocudos passed through my mind; but I banished it as too bold.5 Lastly be so kind as to thank Prof. Müller for his kind note, and book, which I have no doubt I shall find at home on my return next week.6 I am particularly obliged to him for having marked the passages which more especially concern me.
My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Müller, Wilhelm. 1871. Beiträge zur pathologischen Anatomie und Physiologie des menschlichen Rückenmarks. Leipzig: Voss.
Summary
Obliged for letter about human ear. Comments on ears and on E. R. Lankester’s idea about the ear-lobe.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7756
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- William Thierry (William) Preyer
- Sent from
- Bassett
- Source of text
- DAR 147: 267–8
- Physical description
- C 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7756,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7756.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19