Ɛpsilon

To W. B. Tegetmeier   10 August [1866]1

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

Aug 10

My dear Sir

I am very much obliged for the sight of the feathers now returned; they are extremely curious & I will add a sentence after your remark about pencilling. I have seen the feathers of the other hybrids which you have sent me.2

Many thanks for the offer of the electro types; but nearly similar drawing are now being cut for me on wood.3

I enclose a scrap with reference to Mr Hewit’s paper: I find I was wrong, for it refers to the Gold laced bantam.4

Many thanks about the wood-cuts.5

Believe me yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

LS

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 4 August [1866].
2
Tegetmeier had remarked on the transverse blue bands on the tail feathers of a hybrid between Gallus varius and the common hen (see letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, 2 August 1866 and n. 4). He had enclosed the feathers of the bird, together with those of a hybrid between G. sonneratii and the red game-hen with his letter of [after 4 August 1866] (see letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, [after 4 August 1866], and nn. 8 and 9).
4
CD had remarked that the saffron colour of the feathers of a Sebright hen had not been mentioned in Edward Hewitt’s published account of the bird (see letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 4 August [1866]). Tegetmeier asked for the reference to Hewitt’s paper (Hewitt 1864), and noted that as the feathers were from a golden Sebright or laced hen, they would have this colour (letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, [after 4 August 1866]).
5
Tegetmeier had agreed to have changes made to several of the woodcuts for Variation. See letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, [after 4 August 1866].

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5187,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5187