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Darwin Correspondence Project

To S. J. Pozzi   15 May 1873

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

May 15 1873.

Dear Sir

I thank you for your kind letter, & am glad to hear that you are making rapid progress with the translation. I am aware of my error about the word “toad”; it arose partly from my misunderstanding Mr Wedgwood in conversation, & partly from his having expressed himself too strongly; if you alter the word “all” into “some of the” languages”—the passage will be correct.1

Puff-adder = Clotho arietans of Gray

Jungle-fowl = Gallus Bankiva

Barn-owl = Strix flammea of Linn.2

I am doubtful about the French name for “spitz dog”. The breed has a sharp nose, bushy tail, long hair & is generally white. It is not an English breed, & I believe is a sub-variety of the Canis familiaris Pomeranus of Linn. & is I believe “Der Wolf’s Hund” of Bechstein, who also calls it “weisser Spitz”.3

I have now answered your questions to the best of my power & remain dear Sir | yours faithfully & obliged | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

1
See letter from S. J. Pozzi, 11 May 1873 and n. 4. Pozzi was translating Expression into French. CD refers to Hensleigh Wedgwood; in Expression 2d ed., p. 110, the claim that in all European languages the word for toad expressed the habit of swelling was changed to read ‘in several of the languages of Europe’.
2
The puff adder is now Bitis arietans. See letter from S. J. Pozzi, 11 May 1873.
3
Johann Matthäus Bechstein described the Wolfshund as probably a cross between a wolf and a spaniel in Bechstein 1801–9, 1: 551. The first two volumes of Bechstein’s work in the Darwin Library–CUL are from the second edition (Bechstein 1801–9); the third and fourth volumes are from the first edition (Bechstein 1789–95). All are annotated (see Marginalia 1: 38–44).

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. 1801–9. Gemeinnützige Naturgeschichte Deutschlands nach allen drey Reichen: ein Handbuch zu deutlichern und vollständigern Selbstbelehrung besonders für Forstmänner, Jugendlehrer und Oekonomen. 2d edition. 4 vols. Leipzig: Siegfried Lebrecht Crusius.

Expression 2d ed.: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. Edited by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1890.

Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.

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.

Summary

Answers questions about the translations of some species names.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-8912G
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Samuel Jean Pozzi
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Nicholas Bourdet (private collection)
Physical description
ALS

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8912G,” accessed on 16 June 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8912G.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21

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