To T. C. Eyton 24 January 1869

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

Jan 24 1869

Dear Eyton

I am sorry to say that I cannot give you the least information about the subject of your enquiry.¹

It is a very interesting one, but I sh^d fear that it would prove very difficult.

I am glad to hear that you are continuing to work on your great subject of the osteology of birds.² I have not seen Alph. M. Edwards’ book, but I hear that it is excellent.³

Can you give me information on one point? viz. how many months after birth do the horns first appear in the young males of the fallow deer?⁴

If you can tell me with any degree of accuracy I should be particularly obliged.

If I do not hear I shall understand that you cannot do so.

Believe me dear Eyton | yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin

See letter from T. C. Eyton, [before 23 January 1869] and n. 2.

See letter from T. C. Eyton, [before 23 January 1869] and n. 4.

CD refers to Alphonse Milne Edwards. See letter from T. C. Eyton, [before 23 January 1869] and n. 5.

For more on CD’s interest in the development of horns, see letter to George Cupples, [6–9? January 1869] and n. 2.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6573,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6573

Summary

Has heard that book by Alphonse M[ilne]-Edwards [? Recherches anatomiques et paléontologiques, 4 vols. (1867–71)] is excellent.

Asks when horns appear on young male fallow deer.

Letter details

Record number: DCP-LETT-6573
From: Charles Robert Darwin
To: Thomas Campbell Eyton
Date: 24 Jan 1869
Sent from: Down
Source of text: American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.359)
Physical description: 3pp

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Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17.

To T. C. Eyton 24 January 1869

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