Ɛpsilon

To J. J. Weir   [before 18 May 1868]1

It is very odd that my memory shd fail me, but I cannot remember whether in accordance with your views the wing of Gallus Bankiva (or Game Cock which is so like the wild) is ornamental,2 when he & opens & scrapes it before female. I fear it is not, but though I have often looked at wing of wild & tame bird, I cannot call to mind exact colours.

AL incomplete

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. J. Weir, 18 May 1868.
2
Gallus bankiva is now G. gallus (the red junglefowl). CD had argued that G. bankiva was the ancestor of domestic fowl (Variation 1: 233, 236–9, 245–6).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.3 & opens &] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6537,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6537