Criticises sexual selection theory. Supports natural selection.
Gives CD references on proportion of sexes in spiders.
Criticises sexual selection theory. Supports natural selection.
Gives CD references on proportion of sexes in spiders.
At the suggestion of Crichton-Browne CD writes on behalf of his son George, who is making a study of marriages between first cousins and of their offspring to determine the proportion of the latter who may be among the insane, deaf and dumb, idiotic, blind etc. Is GES willing to ask his patients [at the Royal Albert Asylum] for the information relevant to this study?
Thanks for answering his query on greyhound puppies.
Does not believe in the possibilty of dog suicide.
Reports on a female black-winged pea-fowl at his home in Ireland.
Thanks for copies of HdV’s two articles on climbing plants (Vries 1873a and 1873b).
Discusses meaning of term "sexual selection".
Comments on variability in males.
Thanks for his election as Foreign Honorary Member.
Thanks for LR’s essay on living and fossil turtles [Bull. Soc. Sci. Nat. Neuchâtel 9 (1873): 439–41].
General observations on the native Hawaiian population.
Answers to queries are being sent.
Enclosure 1: statistics on puppies bred by Rayner in 1873.
Enclosure 2 from W. N. Massey: number of males or females raised depends entirely on preference of greyhound breeders.
Enclosure 3 from E. L. Williams: breeders prefer to destroy bitch pups.
Enclosure 4: Thomas Morse answers CD’s three queries, transmitted by GC: (1) in deerhounds, females predominate, three to one; (2) in all but cattle, females are less worth preserving; (3) TM rears all the young.
Enclosure 5: John Wright responds to CD’s queries about proportion of sexes in births of horses, cattle, and dogs.
Enclosure 6: G. W. Hickman cannot give reliable answers to CD’s queries on proportion of sexes born [in greyhounds?].
CD wishes to acquire a piece of JL’s land.
The Bishop of Falkland says the Fuegian natives’ health does not suffer through increased civilisation. Relates the Bishop’s observations on the state of Tierra del Fuego and its populace.
Thanks CD for presenting books to a gardeners’ society.
More details on pea-fowl.
Has not the strength to discuss WTG’s letter, and points out that every organism develops from a single cell.
Does not wish to see the Book WTG offered.
Introduction of tropical fruits in Hawaiian Islands.
Has given in Descent 2: 12, an account from AG of the brushes on the sides of Monacanthus; has now learned of brush-like scales on the males of Mallotus. Asks whether the two genera are related.
Comments on several points in Descent,
doubts facts about Monacanthus brushes
and the two Cyprinidae males attending the female when spawning.
Asks HBT whether he received the certificate nominating Robert Swinhoe for the Royal Society.