Ɛpsilon

To Max Schmidt   [29 April 1869]1

Dear Sir

I have thought that your kindness wd excuse me taking the liberty to trouble you with a question. I have been told, that you have adult Mandrills of both sexes.—2 Now I want very much to know whether this species at the posterior end of the body, which is almost or quite destitute of hair, is larger in ♂ than in ♀? Is not this species [much] brighter colour in the male?— Also is a larger surface on the face of the ♂ destitute of hair than in the ♀. Some allowance wd have to be made for the greater relative size of body in the ♂. The description of the colour of the face of ♂ & ♀ Mandrills, I find to be very different; but I fear you wd think me too [unreasonable] if I were to ask, for a very short description of the colour of the face in both adult sexes with the [permission] to quote you as my authority.— I hope that you forgive me for asking this favour, but I have for some time vainly endeavoured to find an accurate description of the sexual differences of colour in the Mandrills— If you cant aid me, could you tell me the name of the [Curator] of ZG.3 with much respect, I beg leave to remain Dear Sir | Yours truly | C. D

[Cologne]

Name of man at Antwerp,4 & introduction to [where I know there are mandrills of both sexes], & if you are [6 words illeg] as addresses to try.

ADraftS

1
The date is established by the letter from Max Schmidt, 14 June 1869.
3
Schmidt was director of the Frankfurt am Main Zoological Gardens.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.2 that] after del ‘but whether correctly I know not,’
1.2 sexes.—] before del ‘& perhaps the young’
1.3 whether this] ‘the’ above del illeg
1.3 species] after del ‘colour’
1.4 almost or quite] interl
1.4 Is not] below del ‘I believe’
1.5 [much]] after del ‘in’
1.5 a larger] after del ‘whether’
1.6 Some … the ♂. 1.7] interl
1.7 The description] below del ‘I find that a’
1.7 of the colour] after del ‘in [work] of but that’
1.8 Mandrills … be] interl
1.9 in … sexes 1.10] interl above del ‘are’
1.10 with the] after del ‘in ♂ & ♀,’
1.11 asking … favour,] above del ‘troubling you’
1.11 vainly] after del ‘been’
1.12 If you … ZG. 1.13] interl
1.14 [Cologne]] after del ‘[Female] of’
2.2 if you are] after del ‘could you [illeg]’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6762,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6762