To Charles Wicksted   13 February [1844?]¹

My dear Sir

I trust to your kindness in allowing me to trouble you with a question on a point, communicated to me by M^r. Tollet at Betley,² & which interests me greatly. M^r Tollet told me that the late M^r. Botfield³ had a Harrier remarkably good for recovering the scent in paths or roads, & that you sent a bitch to this dog, & that he believed that one of the puppies inherited this good quality. If you would be so kind as to take the trouble to give me a few more particulars, I should be greatly obliged: I do not ask out of quite idle curiosity, as I have for several years been collecting facts on the variation of plants & animals, & all cases of inheritable qualities of body & mind come into this subject. Is the faculty of recovering scent in roads to the extent of M^r Botfield’s dog very unusual? did it appear as conspicuously in the puppy as in the parent? did only one puppy inherit it? Have you ever bred from this puppy?.— I have seen it stated that young fox-hounds naturally evince different propensities or qualities, so that one is good to find his fox, another to make casts, one is apt to run stragging & another compact &c &c, & that these qualities often reappear in the offspring. As no one, I suppose, has had better opportunities of judging for yourself, if you do not much dislike the trouble of writing, would you be so very kind as to tell me, whether you observed any such & what cases.

I feel that I have much cause to apologise for thus troubling you, I can rely only on your kindness to excuse me, and I beg to remain

Yours very faithfully & obliged | Charles Darwin Down Bromley Kent