To W. B. Tegetmeier   23 June [1857]1

Moor Park | Farnham | Surrey

June 23d

My dear Sir

I quite forgot to say one thing in my last note.2 Of the eggs of the rumpless Fowls only 3 hatched—2 jet black & one a little banded. Now would you believe it, owing to my fault in not having given clear enough instructions these three were hatched two or three days before I heard of it!— So that after all your kindness I have not got a chicken about 24 hours before Birth.—3 Shall you hatch any more? What would you say to exchange two of my chickens when nearly full grown, for an egg with young chick in it, about 24 hours before birth.— You could have two nearly full-grown instead of one not born.—

In case you had eggs hatching soon, I may state that I shall be here till the 30th morning, & after that at Down.— Forgive, if you can, my stupidity: I beg you not to take the trouble to answer this merely to acknowledge it.—

Your’s very sincerely | C. Darwin

1
The year is established by CD’s reference to remaining at Moor Park until 30 June. In his ‘Journal’ for 1857, CD recorded returning to Down from Moor Park on this day (see Correspondence vol. 6, Appendix II).
3
CD wished to know how early in development rudimentary organs became rudimentary (see letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 6 February [1857]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 Of] over ‘On’
1.5 about] interl
1.7 about] after del ‘bef’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-2110,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-2110