RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1837-1838]. Notebook B: 159, 160, 165, 166, 173, 174 (excised pages). CUL-DAR208.8. Edited by John van Wyhe (The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Text prepared and edited by John van Wyhe 6.2025. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR208 contains notebook leaves excised by Darwin.
Notebook B: Transmutation. Text & image CUL-DAR121.-
8a
159
Von Buch1 says from Humboldt.2 in Laponia. genera to species: 1. 2,3 — From Mackenzie3 Iceland there 144 genera & 365 species of plants not cryptogamic but 1 . 2,53.—
In know varieties, there is analogy to species & genera.— for instance three kinds of greyhound.— In plants, do the seeds of marked varieties produce no difference, if they do, there probably will be this relation also. // Yes //
Fox 4
1 Leopold von Buch. Description physique des Iles Canaries, traduit de l'allemand par C. Bourgeois, Paris 1830. Proportion of genera to species: in North Africa 1 to 4·2 ; in Canary Islands 1 to 1·46; on St Helena 1 to 1·5. According to Humboldt, in France 1 to 5·7 ; in Lappland 1 to 2·3. [deB67]
2 Alexander von Humboldt. De distributione geographica plantarutn secundum coeli temperiem et altitudinem montium, prolegomena, Lutetiae Parisiorum 1817. [deB67]
3 Sir George Stewart Mackenzie. Travels in the Island of Iceland, Edinburgh 1812, Chapter VIII, Botany, pp. 350-356. [deB67]
4 William Darwin Fox. Probably personal communication. [deB67]
8av
160
The creative power seems to be checked when islands are near continent: compare Siicily & Galapagos !! —
Some of the animals peculiar. to Mauritius are not found at Bourbond Zoolog. Proceedings 1832.p. 1111
19
1 Julien Desjardin. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1832, p. 111:— "their animals are not universally the same, some species being met with in the one which never occur in the other " [deB67]
8b
165
Mr Martens of Zoolog Soc told me an Australian dog he had, used to burrow like fox.— a sort of internal bark, would remain for long time together in tub of water with only nose projecting.— would pull the garden bell, & then run into Kennel to watch who would come to the door — would constantly do this, so was obliged to be removed.— In L.' Institut. 1837: p. 404. account of instinct of dogs.— agreement & reason
8bv
166
Some animals common to Mauritius & Madagascar.—
Proceedings of Zoolog. Soc June 1837
p. 53 — an Irish Rat— — different from English.
Waterhouse has information respecting the Water Rat.—
8c
175
20
A breed of Blood Hounds from Aston Hall1 close to Birmingham, and supposed to be descended from a breed known to be there since the time of Charles, — and now in the possession of Mr Howard Galton have one of the vertebra, about 2/3 from base of tail, enlarged two
1 For further citations on Aston in the literature see: Pearson, Hesketh. 1930. Doctor Darwin (p. 180). London, Oswald, Arthur. 1953. Aston Hall, Warwickshire—I. The property of the Corporation of Birmingham. County Life, London, 114: 552-555, 620-623, 694-697; Historic Houses and Castles in Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1959 Edition), Index Publishers Limited, London, 1959. [Ba]
8cv
174
It is certain, that North American fossils bear the closest relation to those now living in the sea.— See Rogers1 report to Brit Assoc to on N. American Zoology —
1 Henry Darwin Rogers. "Report on the Geology of North America ", Rep. Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci. Edinburgh 1834 [1835] 3: 1-66. [deB67]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 1 July, 2025