From Raphael Meldola   11 August 1873

Dear Sir,

I send herewith a copy of my paper on ‘variable protective colouring in insects’.¹

I am still working at the subject of mimicry & am much in need of assistance on the following point:— Is there any reason to believe that large variations are more frequently sexually limited to the sex in which such variations first appear than is the case with small variations?— I should feel much obliged if you could give any information on this subject or refer me to any works treating thereon— I have read the chapters in your “Variation under domestication” (the only book touching on sexually limited inheritance that I have been able to obtain) but this particular point is not gone into in that work.²

I was down at Shere last week & heard from Dr. Capron that you were stopping there—³ pray put yourself to no inconvenience in answering this till you have returned to Beckenham when a line or two will be gratefully received.

Yours respectfully, | R. Meldola.

C. Darwin Esq.