To J. D. Hooker   19 August 1868

My dear Hooker

I dare say you c^d find some naturalist who c^d obtain for me from Professor Nillson¹ a little piece of information.

It is whether with the Reindeer in which both sexes are horned, are the horns first developed (or are they developed in a greater degree) at an earlier or later age, or at nearly the same period of life as with all other deer, in which the males alone have horns?²

The comparison w^d be fairest with species of nearly the same size & inhabiting the same climate.

If Prof. Nillson does not know, w^d it be possible to interest him enough to obtain for me in his own country this piece of information about which I am very curious.

Believe me | yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin