To John Bush 29 February [1868]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
Feb. 29th
Dear Sir
Mr Buckland has told me that you would excuse the liberty which I take in writing to you.—2 I am anxious for any information in regard to the proportional numbers of males & females born to any animals; but this can hardly be told except with domestic or semi-domestic animals.— Mr. B. says that you have bred many rats, & if you have kept any Memoranda, or have a decided impression on the relative numbers of the two sexes, I shd be grateful for information.—
Perhaps you can also tell me whether male rats fight for the possession of the female, & whether an old & powerful rat is polygamous & will keep several wifes.—3
Hoping that you will excuse my troubling you, I remain | Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin
My address for next 3 or 4 weeks will be
6. Queen Anne St
Cavendish Sqe
London W.4
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Summary
Writes at Frank Buckland’s suggestion. Can JB provide any information on the proportion of sexes in rats?
Do male rats fight for the possession of the female? Are they polygamous?
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5961
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Bush
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Private collection
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5961,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5961.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16
