From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
11 Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 53–6
Summary:
Courtship of goldfinches. Male display. [See Descent 2: 95.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
13 Mar [1868]
Source of text:
The British Library (Egerton MS 2952: 8–10)
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
16 Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 57–60
Summary:
Sexual selection of pigeons, ducks;
polygamous birds.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
22 Mar [1868]
Source of text:
Private collection
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
23 Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 61–4
Summary:
Relates a variety of facts about sexual selection in birds. [See Descent 2: 104–5.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 65–8
Summary:
Experiments to test Wallace’s theory that brightly coloured caterpillars are rejected by birds. [See Descent 1: 417.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[26] Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 86: C5–9
Summary:
Proportions of sexes in birds as reported by bird-catchers.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
27 Mar [1868]
Source of text:
Linnean Society of London (Quentin Keynes Collection)
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
31 Mar 1868
Source of text:
DAR 46.1: 98–101, DAR 84.1: 69–70
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[before 28 Apr] 1868
Source of text:
DAR 86: C1–2, DAR 84.1: 73–4
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
4 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 181: 74
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.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
16 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 71–2, 140, DAR 181: 75
Summary:
Describes a curious litter of rabbits.
Pairing of rooks, courtship of golden pheasant.
Behaviour of finch hybrids.
Seasonal coloration of birds; bright plumage results from sexual selection.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
18 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
Duke University, Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RL.10387)
Summary:
Discusses rapid replacement of mates among birds. "I begin to think that the pairing of birds must be as delicate and tedious an operation as the pairing of young gentlemen and ladies. If I can convince myself that there are habitually many unpaired birds it will be a great aid to me in sexual selection". Notes rivalry of singing birds.
Heard from George Rolleston of the inherited effects of an eye injury.
Disagrees with A. R. Wallace’s idea "that birds learn to make their nests from having seen them whilst young" ["The philosophy of birds’ nests", Intellect. Obs. 11 (1867): 413–20].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 181: 76
Summary:
Instinct in birds; nest-building.
Inheritance of acquired characters.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
28 Apr – 4 May 1868
Source of text:
DAR 181: 77
Summary:
Observations on root-climbers. Variegated and arborescent varieties of Hedera.
[CD’s notes are for his reply, 6165.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[4–7] May 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 75–6, DAR 86: C3–4
Summary:
Proportion of sexes in ruffs [see Descent 1: 306].
Colour display in linnets, songbirds. Courtship display of Australian pigeon at zoo.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[14 Apr 1868]
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 88–9
Summary:
Starlings find new mates readily. Nesting in threes common.
Recognition of song by birds.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
John Jenner Weir
Date:
7 May [1868]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
Summary:
Thanks JJW for his great assistance.
Discusses sexual selection in birds.
Sends queries on secondary sexual characteristics of birds.
Has often marvelled at the different growth of the flowering and creeping branches of ivy.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Jenner Weir
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
18 May 1868
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 81–2, DAR 86: A37–8
Summary:
Answers CD’s question on whether any female birds regularly sing.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project