RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 4.1871. Limited Inheritance after reading Wallace. CUL-DAR88.145. Edited by John van Wyhe (The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Kees Rookmaaker, corrected and edited by John van Wyhe, corrections by Gordon Chancellor 11.2011, corrections by Christine Chua 9.2021, corrections by John van Wyhe 8.2025. RN4
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with the permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR87-90 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man 2d ed. (1874-1877).
145
Mar 23/ 71. Limited Inheritance, after reading Wallace. —
If any tendency to transmit blue tint to ♂s alone, this wd be increased by selection by granting their descendants, who thus transmitted blueness in greater number.— But a similar tendency is requisite for each successive variation in colour.— So under nature the blue colour would be preserved, & the ♀ which inherited blueness wd be killed in greater number than other ♀s & then condition those families in which blueness was transmitted to ♂s alone wd be favoured.
It is possible that in all cases there may be so slight tendency in a variation arising in in one sex to be transmitted to same sex: & if so desired result wd be obtained; but I know of no evidence of this — & some facts opposed, as in case of which (Dr P. Lucas) characters are transmitted to opposite sex.—145v
the tendency to reversion, on the whole offspring of a silver male which [illeg] might some be eliminated & the both sexes is be true colour
Wallace, Alfred Russel. 1871. [Review of Descent]. Academy 2 no. 20 (15 March): 177-183. Text PDF
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 22 August, 2025