Ɛpsilon

To W. B. Tegetmeier   4 August [1866]1

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Aug 4th.

My dear Sir

I am much obliged for all you have done for me, and it would be a pleasure if I could do anything for you in return.2

I am sincerely sorry to hear that your health has failed; with your numerous occupations this must be a severe trial.

I like the woodcuts much; but in the four enclosed, I should be glad of an alteration. Firstly in the fantail the tips of the tailfeathers seem to curl over: surely this is wrong? & if possible, which I fear is not the case, I should like it corrected.3 I wish the lower part of the neck in the three cocks’ heads to be cut away, but not abruptly, so that the lower edge should appear nearly as at present.4 I am sure the cuts will look better this way. I also want the cloud at the back of the comb of the Polish & Hamburgh to be greatly reduced or wholly removed. The block to be cut close on the top & bottom so that type may go above & below.5 Also do you not think that the top of the comb in the Hamburgh looks unnatural with so many & sharp little cones.6 When these corrections are made, I should like to see proofs; & the blocks can then be sent to Mr Murray with the account; & I will write to him.7 Please tell me the name of the artist, for I have forgotten, as I wish to state in text by whom they are done, under your superintendance.8

I had noticed with interest Mr. Hewitt’s account of the bantam hen, & therefore you could not have pleased me more than by letting me see the feathers.9 I observe they are saffron coloured, which is not stated, I think, in the original account. I should like to see, but not to keep, the photograph when made. I should like to see the barred feathers of Gallus various; for I have quoted you about pencilling in crosses, & I presume this is something of the same kind.10

I will correct all the references, though they are very numerous, to the New edit. of the Poultry book.11 I will remember your kind offer about correcting proofs, but hope to have no occasion to avail myself of it. I expect to go to press towards the close of the year.12

My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin

LS

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, 2 August 1866.
3
The enclosure has not been found. The English fantail pigeon is illustrated in Variation 1: 147.
4
Engravings of the heads of male Spanish, Hamburgh, and Polish fowls appear in Variation 1: 226, 228, and 229, respectively.
5
See Variation 1: 228–9.
6
CD described the comb of the Hamburgh fowl as covered with numerous small points (Variation 2: 227).
7
CD’s publisher was John Murray.
8
The drawing for the pigeon and fowl engravings was done by Luke Wells (see Correspondence vol. 13, letters to W. B. Tegetmeier, 6 April [1865] and [7 April 1865]). He is acknowledged for some of the drawings, along with Tegetmeier for selecting the birds to be illustrated, in Variation 1: 135 n. 6.
9
Edward Hewitt’s account of the Sebright hen (Hewitt 1864) is discussed in Variation 2: 54. See letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, 2 August 1866 and n. 2.
10
See letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, 2 August 1866 and n. 4; CD refers to Gallus varius. CD cited Tegetmeier in Variation for information on ‘the frequent appearance, in mongrel fowls, of pencilled or transversely-barred feathers, like those common to many gallinaceous birds’ (Variation 2: 40).
12
CD sent the manuscript of Variation to Murray in December 1866 (see letter to John Murray, 21 and 22 December [1866]).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5176,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5176