Summary

Further queries on poultry plumage.

WBT’s visit to America.

Summary

Inquires about the differences in plumage between chicks and adults of certain poultry breeds. Is anxious to know whether the chick’s plumage closely approaches the adult’s in those breeds in which the sexes resemble each other in plumage.

Summary

He will send carrier to the Field office to collect pigeons.

Summary

Chickens have arrived safely.

Summary

Sends a letter by Mr Teebay on variation in wild ducks.

Offers to lend Dr Cooper’s book on game fowls.

Is preparing a new edition [1873] of his Poultry book.

Summary

WBT may use any of CD’s material for the new edition of his poultry book. Hopes WBT will keep firmly to his idea of working out pigeon variation.

Summary

Points out errata in Descent.

Summary

WBT’s beard exceptional in that it is darker than his hair [see Descent 2: 319].

Summary

Has read the Field review of Descent ["Darwin on the descent of man", 37 (1871): 210]. Thanks WBT for his remarks.

Summary

Sends Field with an account of the cat show; examples of cats with three extra toes.

Sexual preference of a blue turbit.

CD did not return skull of the horned cock figured in Variation [1: 265].

Summary

One of WBT’s poultry skulls has been misplaced; CD cannot believe he neglected to return it.

Summary

Has found the skull of the horned cock.

With regard to CD’s suggestion about the possibility of producing a pigeon breed with differently coloured sexes, WBT reports the results of crossing blue and silver dragons; the silver offspring are almost always hens.

Would like the latest edition of the Origin.

Encloses notes on volume one [of Descent].

Encloses a photograph showing the bleaching effect of the sun’s rays on dun feathers in pigeons.

Summary

Thanks for information on sexual colours in pigeons.

Will send latest edition of Origin.

Summary

Thanks for gift of WBT’s book [Pheasants for coverts and aviaries (1873)].

Summary

Do breeders rear more male than female greyhound puppies?

Summary

Gives the answers of two of the best dog breeders to CD’s queries.

Summary

Thanks for answering his query on greyhound puppies.

Summary

Subscribes to a reprint of Pieter Boddaert’s Table des planches enluminéez d’histoire naturelle [check ‘éez’!?] [1874].

Summary

Many thanks for Boddaert [see 9389].