To Alfred Newton 14 March 1874
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
Mar 14 1874
My dear Professor Newton
I have no definite information to give on the point about which you write.1 I agree with you that the destruction of eggs is of subordinate, tho’ of course of some importance, as I believe all birds will lay a second time. Have we not evidence how little the taking of the eggs lessens the numbers of a species, on some of the Northern islands where the eggs of sea-fowl are annually collected?2 From my own observations here I infer that occasional severe winters are by far the most important check; & this must apply to the adults.
In St John’s Tour in Sutherlandshire Vol 2 1849 p 178–179 you will find some particulars (if not already known to you) of the recent increase of certain birds, by the destruction of vermin.3 (Misseltoe Thrushes compete in my garden with thrushes & blackbirds for yew-berries)4 The famous horticulturist Rivers, now an old man, & whose father & grandfather have kept the same garden, told me that birds have increased greatly, so that he is now obliged to protect almost every thing by nets, which was not the case in his father’s time.5
I fear this letter will be of very little use—
I cannot remember about the Fulmar—6
yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
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.
Williamson, Kenneth. 1970. The Atlantic Islands: a study of the Faeroe life and scene. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Summary
Can give no definite information. Believes severe winters are by far the most important check on numbers of birds; the destruction of eggs is of subordinate importance.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9359
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Alfred Newton
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Cambridge University Library (MS Add. 9839/1D/62)
- Physical description
- LS(A) 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9359,” accessed on 22 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9359.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22