My dear Fox.

I am going to bother you. Looking over some of your old notes, I see that you have kept the wild breed of Turkeys from L^d. Leicester & Powis.¹ You know that they now say that the common Turkeys have descended from a southern so-called species.² Have you ever crossed intentionally or accidentally your wild & common; & did you ever cross the hybrids inter se or with either pure parent & were they quite fertile? Have you ever given half-bred birds to other people, & did they with them become mingled with common Turkeys? Can you recognise the half-breds by their appearance? I sh^d be grateful for any information, which I might quote on your authority.—³

When you write tell me how you & all are. We were very glad to see your son at Torquay.⁴

I am much as usual, always grumbling & complaining. We have of late had much anxiety about our youngest Boy, who has failed in same way, but worse than, four other of our children.⁵

This is very shabby note, but I am tired with having written a heap of letters.—

My dear old friend.— | Yours affect^ly. | C. Darwin

Do you know anything of so-called Japanned Peacocks suddenly appearing from the common Peacock?⁶