To H. C. Watson [17 July 1861]1
[Torquay]
Begin by saying that I have but little information on variation— Bronn & Mr Maw state often or generally mingled.—2
The difficulty to know what to call vars & what species,—hopeless—3 But your suggested plan to take list of forms which some call vars & some species print list?—4
Now most valuable information to know how far down to be called incipient species, not only for my object but generally to know how to settle this work, if habits & distribution of these were well attended to.—
Point. does each pair or two in any district familiar to observer grow mingled or separate & in what stations.5 Or does one grow in one country & one in another? Where they mingle are they equally distinct Cause effects of condition or crossing. About the frequency.— Forms such as albinoes or monstrosities not apparently propagated to be excluded.—
Then about polymorphic genera, about the vars of these make perhaps a distinct case.— but it would be interesting to know range & station of these extremely varying forms.—
Any facts about rare var. being known in same locality for period, ie if propagated by seedlings—
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Maw, George. 1861. The pavements of Uriconium. Journal of the British Archaeological Association 17: 100–10.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Summary
Difficulty of distinguishing varieties and species. Did HCW suggest a printed list that might help?
Polymorphic genera.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-1616
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Hewett Cottrell Watson
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 185: 49
- Physical description
- ADraft 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1616,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1616.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 9