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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.
Encloses draft bill about vivisection; CD and friends may have influence enough to get it introduced in Commons or Lords; TA and the Cruelty Society do not. The Society, however, can pay for preparation of bill.
Encloses extract which suggests that CD and friends oppose any restriction on vivisection; asks CD to state his principles. Another bill is being sketched for Cruelty Society.
Asks for information about alleged regeneration of amputated human fingers and toes. Mentions observations on regeneration of salamander extremities.
Thanks for reference concerning regeneration of human fingers and toes.
Sends lecture on language.
Asks for information about animal communication by vocal sounds.
Gives Carl Claus’s identifications of the organisms sent by CD.
Asks CD to write short article on breeds and breeding for new edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Huxley has suggested natural history topics to be covered, and recommended CD.
Sends reference to Codrington paper on gravels ["The superficial deposits of the south of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 26 (1870): 3–28]. Comments on local gravels in railway cutting and the violent agency of their removal from hills.
Reports observations of T. C. Renshaw on how some flowers of the Tritoma catch bees and other insects. Thinks it may be a contrivance against unbidden visitors, as insects caught are not consumed.
The unreliability of the work of J.-B. Legrain on consanguineous marriages [Recherches critiques et experimentales relatives aux marriages consanguins, extrait du Bull. Acad. R. Med. Belg. 2d ser. 9, no. 3].
Has found the relation of pollen-grain size to style size in Primula to be the opposite of CD’s view; asks whether there is an error or just remarkable variation.
Is delighted CD plans to call on him.
Wants to discuss botanical work.
Asks CD’s opinion on whether there is a fundamental difference between the "primitive forms" of animals and plants. Mentions and rejects various views of major distinguishing characteristics.
Fairy-rings grow because the fungal spawn radiates outwards then dies off at the centre as it becomes exhausted. The verdure of the grass depends upon the decay of the fungus supplying nitrogenous manure. Rings are formed mainly in upland pastures poor in nitrogenous matter. Gives examples of woodland fungi that form rings.
At work on new editions of his books against CD’s theory [La teoria dell’uomo-scimmia (1864); La théorie darwinienne (1874)]. Had hoped to receive CD’s comments, as earlier promised; they would still be useful.
Thanks for CD’s reception of his book. The evidence GGB has assembled has convinced him of independent creation. The future will say whether he or CD is correct.
Notes absence of material on fossil coral reefs in CD’s 2d edition [Coral reefs (1874)]. Has been collecting specimens from a fossil reef near his home for four years; gave many to Oxford.
Suspects a plant he has found, Hyoscyamus niger, is insectivorous. Its hairs in water caused dissolution of egg-white.
Discusses the experiments with phosphates on Drosera and animals.
Considers the question of preparing a petition on the question of animal experiments, with the aim of promoting rather than hindering science. [Response to 9849.]
Sends the Memorial [concerning animal experimentation].
Discusses the handling of the Memorial concerning animal experimentation.