RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1832-1835. Birds / East / West Chile (list follows) [Beagle animal notes]. CUL-DAR29.1.A42. Edited by John van Wyhe (The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by Richard Darwin Keynes. Converted and checked against the manuscript by Karen Parr and Margaret Bardy. Checked against the manuscript by Kees Rookmaaker 12.2005. Corrections by John van Wyhe 6.2007, 8.2009, 3.2011. Corrections by Christine Chua 9.2023. Corrections by John van Wyhe 2024, 2025. RN15
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. Richard provided the electronic text to John van Wyhe to include in Darwin Online.
Original table structure made into text. Pages are numbered on the front or recto in the upper right corner. When there is text on the reverse or verso of the page, this is indicated by the page number followed by 'v' as in Zoology notes. Some pages are in the hand of Darwin's servant Syms Covington. Watermarks inlcude: 1 "J WHATMAN 1834", 35 "ALTON MILL", 37-39, 41 "W FINCHER 1836". See: Paper types used by Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle.
Introduction by Richard Darwin Keynes
These notes are also in the combined transcription file: CUL-DAR29.1.A1-A49
42
Sp. 1 Mus decumanus
In Mr Darwin's collection I find five specimens which appear to me identical with our common Rat, of these, two are from East Falkland Island and there is one from each of the following localities, Buenos Ayres, Maldonado, and Valparaiso.
Although these specimens differ somewhat in colour from our Common Rat, I can find no character of sufficient importance to induce me to consider them as distinct species. — The two specimens from East Falkland Island — compared with Mus decumanus — differ in being of a lighter and richer colour — the hairs of the back are tipped with reddish-brown or rust colour, whereas those of M. decumanus are of what I should term of an ochre-colour at their apee — the general hue of the latter is grayish whereas that of the former is inclining to red. —
The specimen from Valparaiso is intermediate in colour between the two just mentioned and those from Maldonado and Buenos Ayres agree in colour with the Falkland Island specimens. —
page in Syms Covington's hand.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 3 July, 2025