To Jonathan Peel 10 December [1873]1
Down, | Beckenham. Kent.
Dec: 10.
Dear Sir,
I am much obliged for your kindness in writing to me.
Your case of the sheep is interesting to me, as possibly affording some evidence that the Horns were aboriginally a sexual character.—2
It is extraordinary the number of cases, of which I have now heard of death from bodies becoming impacted within the vermiform appendage.—3
I am aware that I am in error about the snipes: indeed as a boy I have heard the males drumming in the air; but I suspect that they now breed more frequently (like woodcocks) in this country than formerly.4
Pray believe me | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin.
Footnotes
Summary
Obliged for letter about horns of sheep.
Mentions case of death from objects impacted in appendix.
Is aware of his error about snipe breeding.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9178
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Jonathan Peel
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 147: 241
- Physical description
- C 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9178,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9178.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21