From:
Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
12 Mar [1875]
Source of text:
DAR 178: 2
Summary:
Purpose of bushy tails; their usefulness to their owners as a means of keeping warm.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
Showing 1–7 of 7 items
Purpose of bushy tails; their usefulness to their owners as a means of keeping warm.
Thinks CD is right about the retention of a tail.
Uses of tails of mice. Functions of tails generally.
Sends a short essay [The pathology and treatment of diseases of the ovaries (1874)] on which he would welcome CD’s opinion. Believes problems of pathology can be attacked by regarding them from "Darwinian" point of view.
Has read RLT’s essay [The pathology and treatment of diseases of the ovaries (1874)] with interest. His facts about tumours seem to CD "highly favourable to some such notion as Pangenesis".
Would be glad to make RLT’s acquaintance, but CD’s health would make RLT’s visit to Down unprofitable. Suggests a meeting in London at end of month.
Is preparing a paper on the umbilical cord ["On the anatomy of the umbilical cord", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 23 (1875): 498–501; 24 (1876): 417–40] of which he sends a preliminary note [missing]. Believes spiral growth of the umbilical cord is important evidence of the descent of man; speculates on spiral growth in general.