From William Aitchison to George Cupples   16 June 1869

Sir

I regret my absence from here should have left yours of the 12^th so long without an answer.—¹

I am no stranger to M^r Darwin’s scientific fame & shall be glad to extend to him, through you, any information in my power about sheep— We sheep Farmers always count the number of our Lambs someway about the 20^th or 25^th May when we castrate the Tup Lambs, but I suspect none of us know the exact proportional deaths of the sexes previous to that period, but there is no doubt the males are most liable to die after birth—² notwithstanding I have always been of opinion that the balance upon the whole is in numbers with the female sex—

In evidence of this I shall give you a statement of the number of Lambs I had on one of my largest Farms during the last two years at the time of castration about the 20^th May—³

You are at perfect liberty to further communicate with me about these matters—

I am Sir | Your obdt. Servt. | Wm Aitchison