To W. B. Tegetmeier   6 December [1855]

My dear Sir

Thank you much for taking the trouble of sending me the canines, & which I hope will arrive safely, & for answering so fully my queries. I was interested by stumbling on 4 variations in the Cat, within the course of six weeks, viz long tails in W. Indies,—curiously backward sloping tails,—tufted ears, & your case.—¹

When I asked for the Ghoondok bird,² I stupidly quite forgot that you would of course want it for your own work.— Pray do not think of troubling yourself to send me a M.S. account, for it will do exactly as well, or better, whenever you print.—³ At some future time, when I have got several skeletons together I daresay you would lend me the skeleton for a few days to compare with such others as I may have got together. Would you like to examine the head of my wild Jungle Fowl from India?⁴ But it would require a little cleaning.— I could send it in Box by Post, & you could return it same way, or leave it at my Brothers House at any time near Cavendish Square.— But I do not know whether it would aid you or not.— You could if you liked see whole skeleton, but this is too large for Post.—

With many thanks | Your’s very truly | C. Darwin

I sometimes send little notices to Gardeners’ Chronicle, but I have never communicated anything but trifles.—