My dear Sir

I write on the bare & very improbable chance of your being able to try, or get some trustworthy person to try, the following little experiment. But I may first state, as showing what I want, that it has been stated that if the 2 long feathers in the tail of the male widow-Bird at the C. of Good Hope are pulled out, no female will pair with him.¹

Now when 2 or 3 common cocks are kept I want to know if the tail-sickle feathers & saddle feather of one, which had succeeded in getting wives, were cut & mutilated & his beauty spoiled, whether he would continue to be successful in getting wives. This might be tried with drakes or peacocks, but no one w^d be willing to spoil for season his peacock. I have no strength or opportunity of watching my own poultry, otherwise I w^d try it.— I would very gladly repay all expences of loss of value of the poultry &c— But as I said I have written on the most improbable chance of your interesting anyone to make the trial or having time & inclination yourself to make it.— Another & perhaps better mode of making the trial w^d. be turn down to some hens 2 or 3 cocks, one being injured in its plumage.

I am glad to say that I have begun correcting proofs.²

I hope that you received safely the skulls which you so kindly lent me.—³

My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin