Showing 21–34 of 34 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Discusses the practice of exogamy; asks if any animals have an instinctive repugnance to inbreeding.
Thanks for subscription.
Reports experiments with wheat.
Sends notes on producing varieties by pruning.
Sends CD a Cardigan Jacket, ‘one of the most delightful inventions of the age’.
Discusses the Duke of Argyll.
Will be glad to have seeds of plants and CD’s climbing plant, which he has no doubt is Siphocampylus.
Anxious about his baby [Reginald Hooker].
Has printed copies of CD’s queries [on expression] and will distribute them.
On Hottentot ideas of beauty in women; their preference for women with large posteriors. [See Descent 2: 345–6.]
Forwards some plant specimens to CD for his comments.
Thanks CD for information.
Answers CD’s queries about polygamous birds. Does not think appearance of cock makes any difference to female. Dyeing the male has no effect on female.
Working on sexual differences in collection of horned beetles and will send CD results.
Answers CD’s questions [sent on behalf of Miss Tollet of Betley Hall, Staffs.] on mimicry – how it helps prevent extinction, the modifications occurring with a change of habitat until mimicry occurred.
Also gives some cases of sexual differences.
Summarises his 12-page letter in which he responds to CD’s criticisms of his theory of ‘perfectibility’.
Baby’s situation hopeless.
E. Perceval Wright on way to Seychelles for collecting.
Finds that after 12 years among north-western Indians he can answer positively only one of CD’s queries about expression. They do blush from shame or anger.
Pleased that CD approves his idea about caterpillars.
Thinks CD is right about selection in butterflies, but still believes protective adaptation has kept down colours of females.
Cannot yet see action of natural selection in forming the races of man.
