From J. J. Weir [before 30 May 1868]
Summary
Reversion of tamed animals to wild behaviour.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 30 May 1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 73 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5748 |
From J. J. Weir [after 27 February] 1868
Summary
Trusts his paper ["Apterous Lepidoptera" (1867), printed for the West Kent Natural History, Microscopical, and Photographic Society] showed that he is thoroughly a disciple of CD.
Cites evidence that birds undoubtedly distinguish colours. [see Descent 2: 110.]
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [after 27 Feb] 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 77–80 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5939 |
To John Jenner Weir 27 February [1868]
Summary
Thanks JJW for his paper on apterous insects [see 5939], which contained much new information.
Asks JJW for any information he may have on sexual selection.
Describes an experiment, still untried, of staining tail-feathers of male pigeons in bright colours to find the effect on courtship.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 27 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5942 |
To J. J. Weir 29 February [1868]
Summary
JJW’s note on birds was one of the most interesting CD has ever received. Asks several questions. CD is puzzled by cases of magpies whose mates were killed but who always immediately found others.
Alexander Wallace denies any effect of colour in sexual selection among Lepidoptera.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 29 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5958 |
From J. J. Weir [before 3] March 1868
Summary
Aggressive behaviour of a bullfinch toward new arrival in JJW’s aviary.
Sexual differences in goldfinches: size of beaks.
Sexual selection in Lepidoptera.
Thinks Dr Alex Wallace’s observations on Bombyx not conclusive in proving that no preference is shown by females.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 3] Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 51–2 and DAR 82: A107–8 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5964 |
From J. J. Weir [before 5] March 1868
Summary
Does not think females give preference to any males. Coloration, pugnacity; cases of use of colour in struggle for existence. [see Descent 1: 395.]
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 5] Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 82: A109–12 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5985 |
To J. J. Weir [6 March 1868]
Summary
Discusses beaks and relative numbers of the sexes of goldfinches.
Comments on sexual selection among butterflies.
Mentions Kerguelen moth collected by Hooker.
Comments on JJW’s observations on coloured birds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | [6 Mar 1868] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.348) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5986 |
From J. J. Weir 7 March 1868
Summary
Various facts about birds: pairing, finding new mates, protective coloration, polygamy, sexual differences.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 7 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 86: A21–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5995 |
From J. J. Weir 11 March 1868
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 53–6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6005 |
To J. J. Weir 13 March [1868]
Summary
Thanks for facts about birds displaying plumage during courtship; "for Butterflies I must trust to analogy altogether in regard to sexual selection".
Invites JJW to visit in summer.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 13 Mar [1868] |
Classmark: | The British Library (Egerton MS 2952: 8–10) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6009 |
From J. J. Weir 16 March 1868
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 16 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 57–60 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6016 |
To J. J. Weir 22 March [1868]
Summary
Glad to hear about pigeons. Did not know some birds could win affections of females more than others, except among peacocks.
Comments on polygamy in birds.
Discusses sex ratios among birds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 22 Mar [1868] |
Classmark: | Private collection |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6038 |
From J. J. Weir 23 March 1868
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 61–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6041 |
From J. J. Weir 24 March 1868
Summary
Experiments to test Wallace’s theory that brightly coloured caterpillars are rejected by birds. [See Descent 1: 417.]
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 24 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 65–8 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6046 |
From J. J. Weir [26] March 1868
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [26] Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 86: C5–9 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6056 |
To J. J. Weir 27 March [1868]
Summary
Thanks for information [about sex ratios] received from bird-catchers.
"Can you form any theory about all the many cases which you have given me and others which have been published, of when one pair is killed, another soon appearing?"
Facts about gay-coloured caterpillars very satisfactory.
Comments on Pangenesis.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 27 Mar [1868] |
Classmark: | Linnean Society of London (Quentin Keynes Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6059 |
From J. J. Weir 31 March 1868
Summary
Sexual behaviour of chaffinches.
Numbers of female linnets in September.
His experiments on brightly coloured larvae [as food], testing A. R. Wallace’s theory.
His observations of a rookery make him wonder whether it may not be more difficult than we think for birds to pair.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 31 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 46.1: 98–101, DAR 84.1: 69–70 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6074 |
From J. J. Weir [before 28 April] 1868
Summary
Proportion of sexes in chaffinches.
Pugnacity of blackbirds and robins.
Harrison Weir reports up to nine eggs in starling nests.
Newspaper report of a sheep born with its owner’s brand.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 28 Apr] 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 86: C1–2, DAR 84.1: 73–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6078 |
To J. J. Weir 4 April [1868]
Summary
CD thanks JJW for the mine of information his last "ten!" letters contain. Comments on sexual display of pheasants and colour preferences of pigeons.
Asks about hens that pair earliest in spring and about possible existence of unpaired birds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Jenner Weir |
Date: | 4 Apr [1868] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6090 |
From J. J. Weir 5 April 1868
Summary
George Rolleston’s son was born with a scar on his knee exactly where GR cut himself with a knife years before his marriage. Gives several other examples of inherited mutilation.
Author: | John Jenner Weir |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 5 Apr 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 74 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6093 |
letter | (37) |
Weir, J. J. | (22) |
Darwin, C. R. | (15) |
Darwin, C. R. | (22) |
Weir, J. J. | (15) |
Darwin, C. R. | (37) |
Weir, J. J. | (37) |