From Arthur Nicols 15 March 1880
11. Church Row | Hampstead— | N.W.
March 15th 1880
Dr Chas: Darwin,
Dear Sir,
Although that which is a new observation to me is likely to be quite familiar to you, I venture to send you some of the tail coverts of a male pheasant, which simulate, especially in the small pseudo “ocelli”, the corresponding feathers of the peacock. The bird was killed just at the end of the season, and was in magnificent nuptial plumage, having the white ring on the neck and being, as I should judge from his spurs, three years old.
Comparing him with examples of P. Colchicus, P. versicolor, and P. torquatus, he seems to share the blood of all, but the characters of the latter prevail. On the other hand he is (unlike the pure P. torquatus) a very large individual.1 The point that struck me in this bird was the (to me unusual) distinctness of the pseudo “ocelli” of the tail coverts. Whether this has any significance I must leave you to decide.
Perhaps these markings should not be termed ocelli at all, but the semi-lunar green mark incloses an irregular spot differently coloured, and the barbs are separated as in the peacock’s feathers.
Looking down the back of this bird I was much struck by the general resemblance of the tail coverts to those of the peacock, when not spread out.
yours faithfully | Arthur Nicols.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Summary
Sends pheasant tail coverts, which he believes are unusual in pattern, resembling those of a peacock.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-12536
- From
- Robert Arthur (Arthur) Nicols
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Hampstead
- Source of text
- DAR 172: 67
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12536,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12536.xml