My dear Fox

I received yesterday from my Brother the two Inkstands for William & myself; & we are both very much obliged for your present.

I have filled mine this morning & it seems to work capitally, but I have not yet had much writing with it, as I have been merely correcting proofs—¹ The only fault is that I sometimes take too much ink, but with a little practice I shall get over this, & I have been eternally plagued with my Ink getting muddy, & if that is avoided I shall be for an equal eternity grateful to you,—as no doubt William will, who writes as detestably bad a hand as I do & my good Father did before me.—

We manage to keep Etty room of a good temperature & I do not think she suffers from the extreme & dreadful cold: she has been rather better these 4 or 5 days than usual. All my Boys are now at home & very jolly.² Farewell my dear Fox & I hope always to keep your Inkstand, as a memorial of you by me.—

Farewell | Your affect | C. Darwin

P.S. I believe you have been a pig-Breeder. I found a strange statement in a German Book that white Sows go with young a week longer or shorter (I forget which) than piebald or black Sows.—³ I presume it is false: but many odd peculiarities are correlated with colour.—⁴ Have you kept any exact record? Or do you know any careful Breeder that does?—

Do not think of answering this unless you have materials to judge by.—⁵ It must be a cock & bull story, though given rather positively by goodish man.—