In his letter to Tegetmeier of 27 February [1865], CD asked for the return of a manuscript of a draft chapter on domestic fowls written for inclusion in Variation (see Variation 1: 225–75). CD had sent the manuscript for Tegetmeier’s comments in June 1861 (see Correspondence vol. 9, letters to W. B. Tegetmeier, 22 March [1861] and 14 June [1861]).

CD probably refers to the manuscript sent with his letter to Tegetmeier of 27 [December 1862] (Correspondence vol. 10). The manuscript has not been found, but it was evidently a list of the crosses between different pigeon varieties carried out by CD and others; CD had also asked Tegetmeier to return it in 1863 (see Correspondence vol. 11, letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 19 February [1863]). The list is probably that referred to in Variation 1: 192 n. For a discussion of CD’s pigeon experiments see Correspondence vol. 10, letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 27 [December 1862] and n. 4.