From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
9 July [1860]
Source of text:
DAR 164.1: 5
Summary:
Hyaena remains show how recently Sicily was joined to Africa.
Reports on the Oxford meeting of BAAS.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
12 July [1860]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 23
Summary:
Eldest daughter [Henrietta] very ill.
CD enjoys Owen’s having had "a good setting down".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
23 June 1861
Source of text:
DAR 99: 3–4
Summary:
Offers CD a live Proteus anguinus from Adelsberg cave. In his hands it will have a fair chance of developing into "some type of Columbidae (say a pouter or tumbler)".
The Origin is universally praised in Italy and Germany, even by those who disagree with it.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
24 [June 1861]
Source of text:
Bellmans (dealers) (5 December 2019, lot 632)
Summary:
Thanks HF for offer of valuable specimen, but CD has no aquarium. Suggests the Zoological Society would be the best place for it.
Will keep HF’s note among a very few precious letters.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
7 May [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 205.9: 380
Summary:
Wanted to talk with CD about the astonishing new Pliocene fossil discoveries in North America reported by Leidy. One horse fossil’s dentition, if it could be believed, would be of great interest to CD’s views.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
[8 May 1862]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 24
Summary:
Will try to call tomorrow. What HF tells him about horses makes him eager to come.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24–7 Sept [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 164: 6
Summary:
Encloses MS ["On the American fossil elephant", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1863): 43–114]. Shows persistence of specific characters through glacial period.
Eocene monkeys mistakenly described as pigs.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
1 Oct [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 25
Summary:
Extreme interest in MS of HF’s paper on the American fossil elephant [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 3 (1863): 43–114].
Pleased HF does not believe in immutable species. Significance of proboscidean group verging towards extinction. Comments on natural selection preserving type despite variability. Natural selection solves problem of how every part of each creature has become adapted.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Oct 1862
Source of text:
DAR 164: 7
Summary:
Inquires whether previous letter was received by CD.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
4 Oct [1862]
Source of text:
Maggs Brothers (dealers) (catalogue 1345, 2003)
Summary:
Explains that he returned the MS - part of a paper on fossil and living species of elephant (Falconer 1863) - to Falconer’s house in Park Crescent the previous Thursday.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
4 Oct 1862
Source of text:
DAR 164: 8
Summary:
Although their views differ, HF is glad they can discuss those differences without offending.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
12 Nov [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 164: 9
Summary:
Sends paper on affinities of Plagiaulax ["On Plagiaulax from the Purbeck beds", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 18 (1862): 348–69].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
14 Nov [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 27
Summary:
Comments on HF’s paper on Plagiaulax from the Purbeck beds. Paper "dreadfully severe" on Owen.
"I am worse than ever in bearing any excitement."
Glad HF attacked Australian Mastodon. Never did believe in him.
Mentions Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
29 Dec [1862]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 28
Summary:
Has HF met with any cases of what gardeners call "sports" and what CD will call "bud-variations"?
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Jan [1863]
Source of text:
DAR 164: 10
Summary:
Describes an astounding "sort of mis-begotten-bird-creature", the Archaeopteryx, a grand Darwinian case.
His elephant paper is out in Natural History Review [(1863): 43–114].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
5 and 6 Jan 1863
Source of text:
DAR 144: 29
Summary:
His admiration for HF’s paper on American fossil elephant.
Notes "temporary irruption of S. American forms into N. America".
Rejoices that HF has "smashed" case of Mastodon on Timor.
Shares HF’s anger at Owen.
He is eager to hear about fossil bird [Archaeopteryx].
Comments on criticisms of species theory by [Johann Andreas?] Wagner.
Describes research on fertilisation of Melastomataceae.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
8 Jan [1863]
Source of text:
DAR 164: 11
Summary:
Comments on his elephant paper
and CD’s observations on dimorphism in Melastomataceae.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
9 Jan 1863
Source of text:
DAR 164: 12
Summary:
Answers CD’s query on the free digits of Archaeopteryx.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Hugh Falconer
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
18 Jan [1863]
Source of text:
DAR 164: 13
Summary:
Jaw with teeth found associated with Archaeopteryx fossil. Waterhouse pronounces it a fish’s jaw.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Hugh Falconer
Date:
20 [Jan 1863]
Source of text:
DAR 144: 30
Summary:
If jaw belongs to Archaeopteryx, it will show great peculiarity. A German author has advanced the case as argument for Origin.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project