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:
Henry Holland, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
DAR 166: 250
Summary:
Sends CD a copy of a book he has had printed mainly for the interest of his children and grandchildren [later published as Recollections of past life (1872)].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Henry Walter Bates
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 82: A42–3
Summary:
In addition to the drawing of a caterpillar which CD intends to use,
HWB sends information on differences of colour and pattern between the sexes of species of Papilio.
Argynnis diana and A. sagana have females that are brightly coloured, but these may be cases of protective mimicry.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Hellins
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 85: B71–75, B79–82
Summary:
Gives the evidence on which he relied for his view, which CD thinks is erroneous, of proportion of sexes in Lepidoptera.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Verlagsbuchhandlung Wilhelm Engelmann
Date:
21 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
Onondaga County Public Library (Autograph Manuscripts collection Box 1 Folder 44)
Summary:
Sends a cheque for £3 6s. for stereotypes of Fritz Müller’s Für Darwin (F. Müller 1864).
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
George Bentham
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[before 22 Apr 1868]
Source of text:
DAR 160: 160
Summary:
Has studied Variation with interest.
Cannot quite follow CD on reversion and Pangenesis,
but is amazed at CD’s observations and method.
Comments on varieties of asses, kidney beans, and artichokes.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Henry Walter Bates
Date:
22 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection)
Summary:
Thanks HWB for answering questions.
The MS on Lepidoptera is almost finished and he is glad HWB will read it; he is fearful of mistakes, not being familiar with the subject.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Richard Kippist
Date:
22 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
John Hay Library, Brown University (Albert E. Lownes Manuscript Collection, Ms.84.2 (Box 3, Folder 36))
Summary:
"Please give Bearer Books for me.–"
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Erasmus Darwin
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[22? Apr 1868]
Source of text:
DAR 162: 83, 80, 80/1
Summary:
Charles Langstaff on action of muscles in crying. He believes the primary object of the contraction of the orbicularis is to protect the eye from blood.
Blushing on the body.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
George Bentham
Date:
22 Apr 1868
Source of text:
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Bentham Correspondence, Vol. 3, Daintree–Dyer, 1830–1884, GEB/1/3: ff. 703–4)
Summary:
Is not surprised that GB cannot digest Pangenesis, but it has been an immense relief to CD in tying together large classes of facts.
Sends names of men writing on crossing of plants. Criticises some French observations. Praises Hildebrand and Federico Delpino.
Sends pamphlets.
CD is experimenting on a large scale on difference in plants raised from self-fertilised and crossed seeds.
F. Hildebrand has produced a graft-hybrid which seems to lend important support to Pangenesis.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Henry Doubleday
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
22 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 82: A9–10
Summary:
On proportion of sexes;
coloration of sexes in Lepidoptera.
Sexual attraction of female Saturnia carpini.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Johann Friedrich Theodor (Fritz) Müller
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
22 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 86: A85–6; Möller 1915–21, 2: 140; Darwin Library–CUL (tipped into CD’s copy of F. Müller 1864a)
Summary:
His opinion of Pangenesis.
On relative proportion of sexes in marine animals [sthg missing!?] Crustacea.
Sexual differences.
Music of Cicadae.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
William Bernhard Tegetmeier
Date:
23 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection)
Summary:
Likes WBT’s review [of Variation] in the Field [31 (1868): 309, 350].
Awaits remarks on coloured pigeons and proportion of sexes.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Gerolamo Boccardo
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
23 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 160: 233
Summary:
Thanks CD for gift of Variation.
GB sent copies of his Fisica del globo [1868] to Lyell and the presidents of British scientific societies but has received no acknowledgment; asks CD to check that they received the work. Could CD arrange for a notice of the book to appear in England?
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Theodor Engelmann; Verlagsbuchhandlung Wilhelm Engelmann
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
25 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 163: 20
Summary:
In response to CD’s letter of 21 April, TE has forwarded the 67 clichés of the woodcuts from Fritz Müller’s work [Für Darwin (1864)]; acknowledges CD’s cheque for £3 6s. in payment.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Alfred Russel Wallace
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
28 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
DAR 84.1: 120–4
Summary:
Various topics related to sexual selection: sexual differences, sexual preferences, coloration.
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:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Alfred Russel Wallace
Date:
30 Apr [1868]
Source of text:
The British Library (Add MS 46434: 136–9)
Summary:
More on CD’s objections to ARW’s views on protection and natural selection.
Sexual selection.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
George Bentham
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
30 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 160: 161
Summary:
Discusses Hildebrand
and criticises Delpino.
Asks to borrow C. K. Sprengel’s Entdeckte Geheimniss der Natur [1793].
Botanists have no explanation of the case of Viola odorata and other showy flowers being sterile while inconspicuous ones bear seed.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Erasmus Darwin
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 and 8 Apr 1868
Source of text:
DAR 162: 81; Cornford Family Papers (DAR 275: 34)
Summary:
Langstaff has seen no trace of blushing on the body.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project