From Rudolph Riemann1 9 July 1875
Hochgeehrtester Herr!
In Bezug auf Ihr Werk: “Über die Entstehung der Arten” erlaube mir zu Capitel IX Folgendes mitzutheilen:2
Als professioneller Schafzüchter habe ich die Bastardirung von Serinus hortulanus (Girlitz) mit Dryospiza canaria (Kanarienvogel) hauptsächlich zu Klarlegung des Vererbungsgesetzes angestellt.3 Dabei bin ich zu dem von Ihnen bekanntgegebenen Gesetze des “Prosper Lucas” gekommen;4 Ausnahmen finden nur bei hervorragender Individual-Potenz statt, die nach meiner Erfahrung kräftigen Thieren besonders eigen ist.
Mit möglichster Vermeidung aller Inzucht, die ich als Züchter zu hassen weiss, habe ich nun in diesem Jahre verehelicht:
I: | Männchen: | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
Weibchen: | dto | dto | |||
II: | Männchen: | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
Weibchen: | dto | dto | |||
III | Männchen | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
Weibchen | dto | dto | |||
IV. | Männchen | dto | dto | ||
Weibchen | dto | dto |
Aus sämmtlichen dieser Paarungen sind Kinder erzeugt worden und erwachsen.
ich diene hiemit zur Ansicht von, aus beiden Theilen Bastard “Eltern” in
I | mit | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
II | " | dto | dto | ||
III | " | dto | dto | ||
IV | " | dto | dto. |
Um unter allen Umständen zu dem jetzt schon erreichten Resultate zu kommen, eine neue Art zu bilden, habe ich die Bastardirung durch “Anpaarung” zugleich weiter getrieben und kann ich mit der Ansicht von Dryospiza m. Serinus dienen, deren Vater Bastard ( Serinus) u. deren Mutter Dryospiza ist.
Auf Wunsch theile gern alles Nähere mit und bevollmächtige zu jedem beliebigen Gebrauche dieser Mittheilung. Die Thatsachen selbst bin ich jeder Zeit bereit zu beeiden.
Mit vorzüglichster Hochachtung | ganz ergebenst | Rud. Rieman | Breslau, Centralbahnhof 31.
z. Z. auf meiner | Besitzung: | Zell am See, | Herzogthurm Salzburg, | 9. VII. 75.
[Contemporary translation]
Honoured Sir,
With reference to yr. work ‘The Origin’ I permit myself to communicate the following touching Chapt. IX.
Principally with a view to the elucidation of the law of inheritance I, as a professional breeder of sheep, have induced the crossing of Serinus hortulanus (Girlitz) with Dryospiza Canaria (Canarienvogel). Thereby have I arrived at the known law of Prosper Lucas, given by you.— Exceptions only resulted from preponderating individual potency, which according to my experience is especially apt to appear in powerful animals.
I have, in the present year made the following crosses, with all possible avoidance of in & in breeding, which I as a breeder have learnt to dislike.
I: | male | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
female | ditto | ditto | |||
II: | male | Dryo. | Ser. | ||
female | ditto | ditto | |||
III | male | Dryo. | Ser. | ||
female | Dryo. | ditto | |||
IV. | male | ditto | ditto | ||
female | ditto | ditto |
From every one of these crosses young were bred & grew up.
Hereby I use the following proportions from hybrid parents on both sides: from—
I | Dryos. | Serinus | ||
II | — | — | ||
III | — | — | ||
IV | — | — |
In order under all conditions to come to the results now already attained—the formation of a new species—I have carried yet further the hybridism by pairing, and I can make use of the proportion Dryospiza, Serinus, whose father is a hybrid ( Serinus)& whose mother is Dryospiza.
You may use this how you like I can vouch for the facts
Rud: Riemann
Zell am See | Herzagthum Salzburg
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus. 1789–95. Gemeinnützige Naturgeschichte Deutschlands nach allen drey Reichen. Ein Handbuch zur deutlichern und vollständigern Selbstbelehrung besonders für Forstmänner, Jugendlehrer und Oekonomen. 4 vols. Leipzig: Siegfried Lebrecht Crusius.
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus. 1840. Naturgeschichte der Stubenvögel, oder Anleitung zur Kenntniss, Wartung, Zähmung, Fortpflanzung und zum Fang derjenigen in- und ausländischen Vögel, welche man in der Stube halten kann. 4th edition. Halle: E. Heynemann.
Lucas, Prosper. 1847–50. Traité philosophique et physiologique de l’hérédité naturelle dans les états de santé et de maladie du système nerveux: avec l’application méthodique des lois de la procréation au traitement général des affections dont elle est le principe. 2 vols. Paris: J. B. Baillière.
Marginalia: Charles Darwin’s marginalia. Edited by Mario A. Di Gregorio with the assistance of Nicholas W. Gill. Vol. 1. New York and London: Garland Publishing. 1990.
Origin 6th ed.: The origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 6th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Riemann, Rudolf. 1875. Gespräche über Schafzucht. Berlin: Schotte & Voigt.
Translation
From Rudolph Riemann1 9 July 1875
Most highly honoured Sir!
Regarding your work: “On the origin of species”, permit me to communicate the following on chapter IX:2
As a professional sheep-breeder, I have undertaken the hybridization of Serinus hortulanus (serin) and Dryospiza canaria (canary), chiefly for the purpose of clarifying the laws of heredity.3 As a result I have encountered the laws of “Prosper Lucas” as reported by you.4 Exceptions to this occur only in the case of extreme individual potency, which in my experience is especially characteristic of strong animals.
Avoiding as much as possible all in-breeding, which as a breeder I must deplore, I have now crossed in the past year:
I: | male | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
female | ditto | ditto | |||
II: | male | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
female | ditto | ditto | |||
III | male | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
female | ditto | ditto | |||
IV. | male | ditto | ditto | ||
female | ditto | ditto |
From all these matches offspring were produced and raised to adulthood.
I herewith provide for your inspection hybrid “parents” from both sides in
I | with | Dryospiza | Serinus | ||
II | " | ditto | ditto | ||
III | " | ditto | ditto | ||
IV | " | ditto | ditto. |
In order to get the same result in all circumstances as that already achieved, to form a new species, I carried on at the same time with hybridisation by “mating” different breeds, and I can provide the image of Dryospiza w. Serinus, whose father is a hybrid ( Serinus) & whose mother is Dryospiza.
I am happy to communicate further details at your request, and I authorise you to use this communication any way you like. The facts themselves I am ready to swear to at any time.
With the greatest respects | your most devoted | Rud. Riemann | Breslau, Centralbahnhof 31.
Currently at my | estate: | Zell am See, | duchy of Salzburg. | 9. VII. 75.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus. 1789–95. Gemeinnützige Naturgeschichte Deutschlands nach allen drey Reichen. Ein Handbuch zur deutlichern und vollständigern Selbstbelehrung besonders für Forstmänner, Jugendlehrer und Oekonomen. 4 vols. Leipzig: Siegfried Lebrecht Crusius.
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus. 1840. Naturgeschichte der Stubenvögel, oder Anleitung zur Kenntniss, Wartung, Zähmung, Fortpflanzung und zum Fang derjenigen in- und ausländischen Vögel, welche man in der Stube halten kann. 4th edition. Halle: E. Heynemann.
Lucas, Prosper. 1847–50. Traité philosophique et physiologique de l’hérédité naturelle dans les états de santé et de maladie du système nerveux: avec l’application méthodique des lois de la procréation au traitement général des affections dont elle est le principe. 2 vols. Paris: J. B. Baillière.
Marginalia: Charles Darwin’s marginalia. Edited by Mario A. Di Gregorio with the assistance of Nicholas W. Gill. Vol. 1. New York and London: Garland Publishing. 1990.
Origin 6th ed.: The origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 6th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Riemann, Rudolf. 1875. Gespräche über Schafzucht. Berlin: Schotte & Voigt.
Summary
Professional sheep-breeder interested in laws of inheritance reports his crosses between Serinus hortulanus and Dryospiza canaria. Seeks to make a new species. Crosses carried out with animals varying in their proportion of Serinus and Dryospiza parentage. Confirms Prosper Lucas’ law as given in Origin, ch. 9, with exception that strong individuals exhibit prepotency.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10054
- From
- Rudolf Ehrenfried (Rudolf) Riemann
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Zell am See
- Source of text
- DAR 176: 157, 157/1
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp (German) †, trans 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10054,” accessed on 19 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10054.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 23