From Francis Galton 22 September 1875
42 Rutland Gate
Sept 22/75
My dear Darwin
In “Domestication” II. 253. you quote as a striking instance of variation a case communicated by Dr. Ogle of 2 girl twins who had a crooked finger, no relative having the same.1 It happened, in my twin enquiries, that a case was sent me which is possibly, or probably the same as your’s—but which is a case of reversion. I send the particulars of this over leaf.2 You might think it worth while in the view of your 2nd. edition, to ask Dr. Ogle if his case was that of the Misses Macrae.3
I am not acquainted myself either with the Misses Macrae or with Dr. Murchison—Dr. Gilchrist of the Crichton Institution Dumfries, sent me Dr Murchisons communication.4
We are only lately back in England and are not even yet settled in town.5
Will Frank kindly send me a line about the sweet peas?6
With united kind remembrances to you all | Ever sincerely | Francis Galton
I have been delighting in your Insectivorous plants7
Extract from a private letter to me, written by Dr Finlay Murchison. (No address on this letter but it is from Scotland, & was enclosed by Dr. Gilchrist of Dumfries.)
The Misses Macrae (twins. æt 16 in 1875)
“There is a congenital flexion at the second phalangeal joint of the little finger in each case, but the flexion is not so marked as to cause unsightliness or discomfort. I have ascertained that they inherited this peculiarity from their grandmother on the mother’s side.8 The parents had no trace of it, nor any one of four brothers and three sisters.”
Footnotes
Bibliography
Galton, Francis. 1876a. The history of twins, as a criterion of the relative powers of nature and nurture. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 5 (1875–6): 391–406. [Reprint of Galton 1875a.]
Insectivorous plants. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875.
Medical directory: The London medical directory … every physician, surgeon, and general practitioner resident in London. London: C. Mitchell. 1845. The London and provincial medical directory. London: John Churchill. 1848–60. The London & provincial medical directory, inclusive of the medical directory for Scotland, and the medical directory for Ireland, and general medical register. London: John Churchill. 1861–9. The medical directory … including the London and provincial medical directory, the medical directory for Scotland, the medical directory for Ireland. London: J. & A. Churchill. 1870–1905.
Pearson, Karl. 1914–30. The life, letters and labours of Francis Galton. 3 vols. in 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Variation 2d ed.: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1875.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Thinks CD’s case of twins with crooked fingers may be one from his twin study.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10163
- From
- Francis Galton
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Rutland Gate, 42
- Source of text
- DAR 105: A80–1
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10163,” accessed on 8 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10163.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 23
