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1870-1879 in date 
Darwin, C. R. in correspondent 
Nature in correspondent 
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From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 27 Apr 1871]
Source of text:
Nature , 27 April 1871, pp. 502–3
Summary:

Replies to Francis Galton’s paper on tranfusing blood between rabbits to test Pangenesis [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–40]. FG’s conclusion that his experiments prove Pangenesis to be false is "a little hasty", since CD had never maintained that gemmules in the blood formed any part of his hypothesis.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
1 July [1871]
Source of text:
Nature , 6 July 1871, pp. 180–1
Summary:

Refers H. H. Howorth, the writer of "A new view of Darwinism" [Nature 4 (1871): 161–2], to Variation for a discussion of fertility and sterility of organisms in relation to increased food and other factors.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
3 Aug [1872]
Source of text:
Nature , 8 August 1872, p. 279
Summary:

Replies to C. R. Bree’s letter of 27 July [Nature 6 (1872): 260] contending that CD was wrong about early pedigree of man.

Defends the statement of CD’s view in Wallace’s review [Nature 6 (1872): 237–9] of Bree’s book [Exposition of fallacies … of Darwin (1872)].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
thumbnail
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 13 Feb 1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 13 February 1873, pp. 281–2
Summary:

Sends a letter from William Huggins about a case of inherited fright in three generations of mastiffs. Discusses the different origins of instincts and their inheritance.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 13 Mar 1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 13 March 1873, p. 360
Summary:

Recounts instances suggesting that animals have a sense of direction.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 3 Apr 1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 3 April 1873, pp. 417–18
Summary:

Comments on article ["Perception and instinct in lower animals", Nature 7 (1871): 377–8].

Explains his contention that "many of the most wonderful instincts have been acquired, independently of habit, through the preservation of useful variations of pre-existing instincts". Cites examples: sterile workers of several species of social insects have acquired different instincts; movements of tumbler pigeons. Speculates that "many instincts have originated from modification or variations in the brain".

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 3 Apr 1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 10 April 1873, pp. 443–4
Summary:

"The following fact with respect to the habits of ants, which I believe to be quite new, has been sent to me by a distinguished geologist, Mr J. D. Hague [see 8788]; and it appears well worth publishing."

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 24 July 1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 24 July 1873, p. 244
Summary:

Sends a letter from J. D. Hague confirming his earlier observation [see 8788] of frightened behaviour of ants when they come upon dead ants. CD had asked for confirmation because J. T. Moggridge had suggested that the ants’ behaviour was alarm at the scent of the observer’s fingers.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
20 Sept [1873]
Source of text:
Nature , 25 September 1873, pp. 431–2
Summary:

CD, in commenting on Wyville Thomson’s "Notes from the Challenger" [Nature 8 (1873): 347–9], recapitulates his work on rudimentary male cirripedes [Living Cirripedia], especially the complementary males attached to hermaphrodites. Offers an explanation, on evolutionary grounds, of their function and size.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
11 Feb [1874]
Source of text:
Nature , 19 February 1874, pp. 308–9
Summary:

Prefaces Fritz Müller’s observations on termites and stingless bees [see 9281].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
thumbnail
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
6 Apr [1874]
Source of text:
Nature , 16 April 1874, p. 460
Summary:

Comments on J. T. Moggridge’s article on the fertilisation of Fumaria capreolata [Nature 9 (1874): 423].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
18 Apr [1874]
Source of text:
Nature , 23 April 1874, p. 482
Summary:

CD has observed hundreds of primrose flowers cut off their stalks, and conjectures that this was done by birds to obtain the nectar. Asks readers of Nature in England and abroad whether primroses are subject to such destruction in their localities.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
7 and 11 May [1874]
Source of text:
Nature , 14 May 1874, pp. 24–5
Summary:

Thanks Nature correspondents for their observations on destruction of primroses [Nature 9 (1874): 509; 10 (1874): 6–7]. Reports an error in his observations: ovules, as well as nectar, are taken by the birds. As the habit of cutting off primrose flowers is widespread, CD concludes it is instinctive in bullfinches.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
6 May [1876]
Source of text:
Nature , 11 May 1876, p. 28
Summary:

Reports seeing flowers of wild cherry bitten off in same manner as primroses [see 9418 and 9444]. In this case it was done by a squirrel, though birds also bite the flowers of the cherry-tree.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
24 Feb [1877]
Source of text:
19th Century Shop (dealers) (July 2004)
Summary:

Darwin consents to his correspondence with Pieter Harting being published in Nature.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
15 Aug [1877]
Source of text:
Nature , 23 August 1877, p. 339
Summary:

CD forwards letter from F. J. Cohn [11093] that provides confirmation of observations by Francis Darwin on the contractile filaments protruded from the glands of Dipsacus.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
21 Nov [1877]
Source of text:
Nature , 29 November 1877, p. 78
Summary:

Sends letter from Fritz Müller [11191] containing observations on plants and insects of South Brazil, with prefatory comments.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[21? May 1878]
Source of text:
Nature , 30 May 1878, pp. 120–1
Summary:

CD’s letter on wide distribution of freshwater plants and animals introduces a letter to him from Arthur H. Gray [see 11497].

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 20 Mar 1879]
Source of text:
Nature , 20 March 1879, pp. 462–3
Summary:

Comments on a letter from Fritz Müller [11839] and particularly on the subject of the disappearance of certain structures in organisms. FM’s explanation deserves serious consideration.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Nature
Date:
[before 27 Mar 1879]
Source of text:
Nature , 27 March 1879, p. 481
Summary:

In reply to a query [in Nature 19 (1879): 433] CD reports that vessels full of water were kept on the deck of a ship to discourage rats from gnawing holes in the ship’s water casks.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project