Ɛpsilon

From A. D. Bartlett   9 December 1867

Zoological Society’s Gardens, | Regent’s Park, | London, N.W.

Decr 9th. 1867.

My Dear Sir

In reply to your note1 I beg to say the name of the birds in question is the Knot (Calidris canutus)   I have kept eight or nine of them and out of this number only one put on any of the breeding or summer dress,2 while in the same cage two Turnstones (Strepsilas interpres)3 both assumed their breeding plumage in the Summer, all the birds appear equally well in health and condition, the Turnstones have now moulted into the winter garb, the coloured worsted rags &c shall be tried immediately.4

believe me to be | Yours faithfully | A. D. Bartlett.

Chas. Darwin Esq

CD annotations

Top of letter: ‘If the summer Plumage of the Knot, is the same in 2 sexes, we learn that the summer plumage is nuptial & common to the 2 sexes—as occurs with a multitude of Birds.—’5 ink
2
CD referred to the bird by its older name, Tringa canutus, in Descent 2: 82, citing Bartlett on specimens in the Zoological Gardens in London failing to develop their summer plumage.
3
Strepsilas interpres is now Arenaria interpres (see Birds of the world 3: 515–16).
5
These points are developed more fully in Descent 2: 81–2.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5720,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5720