Ɛpsilon

To Richard Strachey   10 December [1873]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

Dec. 10th

My dear General Strachey

I am very much obliged to you for having taken the trouble to write to me. The case of the Bees interests me much. In all parts of the world, I do not doubt from the size of their jaws that humble bees will be found to be the biters, & hive-bees to profit by their work.2 I think I have somewhere heard of land-shells descending in the curious manner which you describe by a thread of stiff slime—3 My son George will be pleased to hear that you will probably be successful in getting the Geograph. Soc. to have one of the new globes made—4

With many thanks pray believe me | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

LS(A)

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Richard Strachey, 9 December 1873.
2
CD refers to bees’ cutting holes in flowers to get at the nectar (see letter from Richard Strachey, 9 December 1873 and n. 3).
4
George Howard Darwin had designed a portable globe (see letter from Richard Strachey, 9 December 1873 and n. 5).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.2 from … jaws 1.3] interl in CD’s hand

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9177,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9177