To Gardeners’ Chronicle [before 1 December 1855]
Summary
Corrects a misprint in his letter [1783].
Adds that his experiments show that one cannot infer from the vitality of seeds under dry conditions that they will be preserved in different conditions. Cites the poor ability of Leguminosae to withstand immersion.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
Date: | [before 1 Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, no. 48, 1 December 1855, p. 789 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1787 |
CD memorandum [December 1855]
Summary
Requests skins of domestic breeds or races of poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cats, and dogs from any unfrequented region. [Attached is a list of people to whom CD has written for pigeon and poultry skins.]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Unidentified |
Date: | [Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | DAR 206: 34–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1812 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier [2 December 1855]
Summary
Raises queries resulting from their meeting. "All fish come to my net in regard to variation."
Is acquiring pigeons and poultry and would be particularly grateful for any of the rarer breeds that WBT could supply.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | [2 Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1788 |
To T. C. Eyton 3 December [1855]
Summary
Now has several pigeons, and intends to get pigeons from all parts of the world.
Glad TCE is working at dogs. Would TCE like head of Chinese dog?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 3 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.116) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1789 |
From William Henry Benson 5 December 1855
Summary
Observations on shells in India, listing some specimens with particular regard to their locality, elevation, and relationship to other known types.
Author: | William Henry Benson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 5 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | DAR 160: 150 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1790 |
From J. D. Dana [before 6 December 1855]
Summary
Responds to CD’s criticism of his use of word "Kingdom" in discussing geographical distribution of Crustacea.
Author: | James Dwight Dana |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 6 Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | DAR (CD library – Dana, J. D. 1853) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1544 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier 6 December [1855]
Summary
Variation in cats.
Is comparing skeletons of poultry.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 6 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1791 |
To William Henry Benson 7 December [1855]
Summary
Discusses distribution of shells.
"Dr Gully did me much good." Hopes WHB profited by water cure.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Henry Benson |
Date: | 7 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | DAR 143: 89 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4354 |
To ? 7 December [1855–7?]
Summary
Concerning specimens he wants collected in the Azores.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Unidentified |
Date: | 7 Dec [1855-7] |
Classmark: | DAR 249: 93 (photocopy) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13867A |
From Edward Blyth 8 December 1855
Summary
What does CD think of A. R. Wallace’s paper in the Annals & Magazine of Natural History ["On the law which has regulated the introduction of new species", n.s. 16 (1855): 184–96]? EB considers it good on the whole.
Japanned variety of peacock.
Regional variations in bird species.
EB has little faith in the aboriginal wildness of the Chillingham cattle.
Races of humped cattle of India, China, and Africa.
Indian and Malayan gigantic squirrels, with various races remaining true to their colour, would afford capital data for Wallace, as would the local varieties of certain molluscs. Has Wallace’s lucid collation of facts unsettled CD’s ideas regarding the persistence of species?
Bengal hybrid race of geese is very uniform in colour and as prolific as the European tame goose [see Natural selection, p. 439].
Will see what he can do for CD with regard to domestic pigeons.
Author: | Edward Blyth |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | DAR 98: A104–A107 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1792 |
To T. C. Eyton 9 December [1855]
Summary
Vexed he cannot find head of [Chinese] dog.
First took up skeletonising to see how much young pigeons and poultry differed from the old.
Wishes to ascertain differences in skeletons of pigeons, poultry, covey birds, and rabbits. William Yarrell has shown CD breastbones. W. B. Tegetmeier has shown him skulls of fowls.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 9 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.117) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1793 |
To J. D. Hooker 9 [December 1855]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 9 [Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 143 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1736 |
To Edgar Leopold Layard 9 December 1855
Summary
Is collecting facts for Variation; would be grateful for skins of local [Cape of Good Hope] breeds of pigeons, ducks, and poultry.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Edgar Leopold Layard |
Date: | 9 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | Auckland Public Library (Grey collection GL D8 (3)) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1794 |
To George Henry Kendrick Thwaites 10 December 1855
Summary
Mentions seeing GHKT at BAAS meeting at Oxford [1847].
Reports he is working on variation of species. Asks about varieties of pigeons and other poultry, and asks for specimens from Ceylon.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Henry Kendrick Thwaites |
Date: | 10 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.118) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1795 |
To George Gulliver 18 December [1855]
Summary
Sends blood of pigeons for examination. Discusses variation of blood in related animals.
Would like copy of book edited by GG [The works of W. Hewson (1846)].
Suggests investigation of blood in varieties of domesticated animals.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Gulliver |
Date: | 18 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | Houghton Library, Harvard University (Autograph File, D) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1796 |
To J. S. Henslow 18 [December 1855]
Summary
Has received the seeds safely.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Stevens Henslow |
Date: | 18 [Dec 1855] |
Classmark: | DAR 93: A47 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1797 |
From George Gordon 24 December 1855
Author: | George Gordon |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 24 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.7: 281 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1799 |
To Charles Augustus Murray 24 December 1855
Summary
CD has "for many years been working on the perplexed subject of the origin of varieties & species".
Asks CAM if he can help procure skins of domestic pigeons, poultry, ducks, and rabbits from Persia. Gives general instructions for anyone he might employ to obtain skins.
CD would also welcome descriptions of the larger, native quadrupeds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Augustus Murray |
Date: | 24 Dec 1855 |
Classmark: | Arthur Houghton Jr (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1798 |
To H. N. Shaw, Secretary, Royal Geographical Society 25 December [1855]
Summary
Has followed correspondent’s useful suggestions of sources of information [on variation in domesticated animals in various regions of the globe].
Asks him to sound out [Mr Consul Brand?] about skinning some bird specimens for him.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Henry Norton Shaw |
Date: | 25 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | Royal Geographical Society |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1800 |
To J. S. Henslow 26 December [1855]
Summary
Sends a book on clubs, which has raised some worrisome questions about the [Down Friendly] Club. Asks JSH’s advice.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Stevens Henslow |
Date: | 26 Dec [1855] |
Classmark: | DAR 93: A48–A49 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1801 |
letter | [X] |
Darwin, C. R. | (19) |
Benson, W. H. | (1) |
Blyth, Edward | (1) |
Dana, J. D. | (1) |
Gordon, George (b) | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (4) |
Gardeners’ Chronicle | (3) |
Eyton, T. C. | (2) |
Gulliver, George | (2) |
Henslow, J. S. | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (23) |
Gardeners’ Chronicle | (3) |
Benson, W. H. | (2) |
Eyton, T. C. | (2) |
Gulliver, George | (2) |