RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1855].03.17. [Notes on Hooker and apterous insects]. CUL-DAR197.4.1. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2021. Corrections by John van Wyhe 9.2022. RN2
NOTE: See Hooker's letter in Correspondence vol. 5, p. 283. An apterous insect is wingless or has no wings.
Stephens, J. F., Illustrations of British Entomology, or, a Synopsis of indigenous insects: containing their generic and specific distinctions; with an account of their metamorphoses, times of appearance, localities, food, and economy, as far as practicable. Embellished with coloured figures of the rarer and more interesting species. London: Baldwin and Cradock, vols. 1-5.
Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin.
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[Archival note:] DAR., 197. NOTES ON HOOKER AND APTEROUS INSECTS.
[1]
March 17th Hooker tells me that not only the few Coleoptera, but the one Lepidoptera at Kerguelens Ld were apterous!
[in margin:] The Deer long-legged & fleet in Deserts.
Hooker objects to Desert insects being apterous; but then there are chiefly Heteromera, & do not require in any case God knows why are everywhere commonly apterous: of course I do not pretend that my theory is only cause of apterous conditions. Objects that if Madeira insects were powerfully winged it might have been said it was to recover the Land; very true: but by my theory it wd depend on what proportion were lost & what proportion recovered land whether most survived by not being blown
[2]
out, or by getting back.
Remarks, I ought to ascertain whether the proportion of apterous European insects is great or small. This ought to be worked out as showing means of transport. — as Hooker remarks. —
I think it wd be very curious to work out in Stephens what proportion of British Coleoptera are apterous.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
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