From Robert Swinhoe 2 December 1862
18 Royal Avenue Terrace | Chelsea. SW.
2 Decr. 1862.
My dear Sir,
I have just turned out another domestic animal which I had laid aside for you—a Guinea Pig.1 It is of the Chinese breed, and may perhaps be interesting to you for comparison with the European bred animals. I heard it asserted the other day at Cambridge that the domestic Guinea-pig would not interbreed with the Rock Cavy, it’s supposed parent-stock, and that consequently a new species had been formed by artificial selection. Have you heard of this asserted fact?2 The person that gave it forth at Cambridge had it I believe on good authority. I should like much to hear your opinion on this subject.
I remain, | Dear Sir, | Your’s very truly,
Robert Swinhoe
Charles Darwin, Esqre.
Footnotes
Summary
Sends CD a Chinese breed of guinea-pig. Has heard it claimed that the domestic guinea-pig will not interbreed with the wild rock cavy and that, therefore, artificial selection has formed a new species.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3842
- From
- Robert Swinhoe
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Chelsea
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 327
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3842,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3842.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10