To W. B. Tegetmeier   4 August [1867]

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

Aug 4.

My dear Sir

I am much obliged for the proofs which I have been glad to see, tho’ my Chapter on Pigeons is printed off. Your new book will be I have no doubt as good as your last & more than that no one need desire.1

I saw with much surprize that Mr Brent is dead, & thus an eccentric but worthy man is lost.2 I shd have liked to hear something about his death.

I hope you have not quite forgotten the experiment which you so very kindly offered to try about dying pigeons with bright colours. I feel much curiosity on this head.3

My book will be published in Nov. & I need not say that a copy will of course be sent to you—4

My dear Sir | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

LS

Endorsement: ‘1867’

1
Tegetmeier evidently sent CD proof-sheets of his new book on pigeons (Tegetmeier 1868). CD refers to chapters 5 and 6 of Variation (1: 131–224), and to Tegetmeier’s Poultry book (Tegetmeier 1867).
2
The reference is to Bernard Peirce Brent, whom CD had once described as ‘very crotchetty’ (see Correspondence vol. 13, Supplement, letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 8 May [1861]). Brent sent CD information on domestic birds, and is frequently cited in Variation.
4
Variation was published in January 1868 (Freeman 1977). Tegetmeier’s name appears on CD’s presentation list for Variation (DAR 210.11: 33).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5593,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5593