[front cover]

Questions & Experiments

[inside front cover]

Gowen, Royle, & Horsfield Sykes p. 12

Maer p. 13

Questions &c. July. 1842. —

Shrewsbury p. 14

Henslow (2^d time) p. 14 —

Father. And. Smith

D^r Holland p. 16

Babington — Gould 10. (a)

J. Gray 17

Yarrell 18

Blyth 19 — M^r Tollett

Zool Soc Gardens 20 & Breeders

D^r Boott

Horticulturists p. 21 - 23

Eyton p. 22

Schomburgk — 1

Jordan Smith. p. 1

Sowerby Cuming — p.1

Owen p. 17

III Hooker p. 17

M^rs Whitby. Newlands Lymington Hants. Habits of different caterpillar races.

— Name of Italian who sold eggs.—

    1. Calendar: Letter 1113. 'To M. A. T. Whitby 2 Sept. [1847] Down Questions Mrs W on difference in flight capacity of male and female silkworm moths . . .' See also Variation, 1:302, 303 for further discussion of Mrs Whitby and breeding silkworms.

    2. Probably 'Mr. Antony Tagliabue, 31, Brook Street, Holborn', recommended by Mre Whitby as a supplier of silkworms' eggs (Whitby 1848, p. 55) or 'Signor Arregoni, 16, Church-street, Soho' from whom Mrs Whitby purchased silkworms in 1844 (Whitby 1848, p. 62).

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Temporary Questions

Where has Duchesne described Atavism alluded to by D^r Holland —

Jordan Smith of Jordan Hill — character of the extinct land-shells of Madeira — analogous or quite distinct from recent ones — I presume some recent not found fossil (perhaps not embedded)

⸮ are there any very common recent ones not embedded? —

Do the Tame Parrots breed amongst the Indians

Do the Savages select their dogs

Sowerby Entomologist

Does individual Shell or insect or group vary more in one country or district than in another? Character of shells of Sandwich group
Sowerby monstrous Cardium, does it remind him of other species

Hooker says the species of Aquilegia vary much in their spurs & Ranunculus in the nectaries. The former best for my experiment on Selection.

    1. Holland 1839a:23, 'A singular variety [of heredity] is that which Duchesne and others have termed Atavism; where a bodily peculiarity, deformity or disease, existing in a family, is lost in one generation; reappearing in that which follows.' Duchesne's original citation has not been traced. See E183, which is the source of this question.

    2. J. Smith 1838-42 [1841]:354, 'The [land] shells have been most carefully examined by the Rev. Mr. Lowe, and one sixth ascertained to belong to species not now living in the island; the Canical sands therefore are assigned by Mr. Smith to the Pleistocene or newest tertiary æra.'

    3. J. Sowerby 1806, 1838. Includes many pages on insects. Sowerby (Elder) 1812 is also on insects.

    4. G. B. Sowerby, Jun. 1840. Does not mention monstrous Cardium. See however Sowerby, G. B. (Elder) 1839a, for discussion of monstrous Encrinus. Darwin may have discussed the monstrous Cardium at the 8 Sept. 1840 meeting of the Zoological Society of London, when a paper on Cardium by Sowerby, Jun. was presented.

    5. Sowerby (Elder) 1833. Discusses great variability of species of Mollusca and Conchifera.

    6. Hooker: reference could not be traced. Probably a personal communication.

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1)

Experiments. in crossing &c Plants

1 Repeat the French experiment of Carrot

2 also try Primrose & Cowslip in rich soil & propagate from their seed

3. To apply pollen of different genus & then some hours afterwards of nearly related plant & see if first pollen produces any effect, as in case of woodpidgeon & Hen. mentioned by M^r Knight. Vol IV Hort. Transact.—

4 May we no suppose, that certain plants, like Aphides produce impregnated young ones; & that it is in these that male organs (not being always useful), fail —

Really good subject for experiment.— to repeat Spallanzani

Raise only single Plants & only allow few one flower

(5) D^r Fleming. Philosop. of Zoolog, vol 1. p. 427 — says biennial. wall-flowers & scarlet Lychnis can be propagated by cuttings.— Try.— Important as discovering function of seeds —

(6) To hybridise every flower on melon & see whether fruit affected. M^r B. seems to say impregnation caused of some seeds, caused symmetry in cone —

The above Exper. explains apples on side near other tree being affected.— does one branch of Cabbage being mongrelized affect other branches — The French Apple tree with abortive stamens answers first question in negative.—

1. See E149.

2. Knight 1822. Makes no mention of successive pollination of a flower by pollen of different genera at different times; see however: p. 367, 'great numbers ... of species . . . may be made to breed together, with greater or less degrees of facility . . .'; p. 371, '. . . a single plant is often the offspring of more than one, and, in some instances, of many male parents.'; pp. 372-73, discussion of a cross of a wood-pigeon and a 'common hen' which as reported produced a mule. Knight thought a mistake had been made, as the mule bred freely. Knight, in 1822, believed in creation of species and that hybrids from distinct species could not be fertile (pp. 371-72). But see Knight 1824:293, '. . . that real mule plants have in some instances, and under certain circumstances, produced offspring . . .' See Darwin's abstract (DAR 74:62) of Knight 1822:372, 'Mentions curious case of Hen mounted by woodpidgeon—which had fertile offspring.—but this one (out of eleven eggs) had no comb and fleshy nostrils and whole profile of head exclusive of point of beak.— looks like as if past impression had been produced.—'

3. Spallanzani 1769. See E90 and E148.

4. Fleming 1822, 1:427, note, 'Sir James E. Smith, Introd. Bot. p. 138 and 139 seems to consider it as established, that "propagation by seeds is the only true reproduction of plants." ' But according to Fleming, 'The wall-flower and sweet-william plants, whose natural term of life rarely extends beyond two years . . . may be continued for many years, by being propagated by means of cuttings of the slips. Even the annual stem of the Scarlet Lychnis, may be converted into separate plants of many years duration.'

2)

Questions Regarding Plants

1. Uniformity of hybrid & Mongrel offspring

2. How have late varieties of Peas &c been obtained?

3. Whether the viviparous grasses & onion, produce flowers, like the Oxalis from C. of Good Hope mentioned by M^r Herbert in vol IV. Hort. Transact.—

4.. Are any varieties of Cabbages not attacked in bad years from Caterpillars.

5. Whether Roses impregnate each other, when close planted together: can do Holyoak be raised distinct by seed — Heartease.

6.— Do not species of wild Roses run into each other very much.— Has not some one written on them?.

7. Are the wild Bananas of Otaheite seedless; — are all varieties seedless — if so. how have varieties been formed? —

8. Can any annuals be budded with reference to extension of age of individuals —

9. Do plants in becoming double ever become monooecious — loosing one sex & not other: which generally fails first? — mal

10 Henslow says semi-double flowers are those whose stamens are monstrous, how then are seeds ever raised?

11 Is not non-flowering gorze common in Norway No

1. W. Herbert 1822:33-34, 'This is the first instance I have known, or heard, of an embryo, either in the vegetable or animal kingdom, drawing its support directly from the parent, without the intervention and assistance of an intermediate body, such as the cotyledon, the yolk of the egg, or the placenta, to afford it nourishment. I have indeed found one Oxalis from the Cape of Good Hope . . . to be viviparous . . . [and this] amounts . . . only to a habit of premature vegetation in the seed . . .' See also E165.

2. See E153

[2v] 3)

Questions regarding Breeding of Animals

If two half bred animals exactly alike. be interbred will offspring be uniform.— M^r Ford

Has M. Sageret written on crossing of Cabbages, quoted by (as if oral) Decandoelle in V. Vol of Hort. Transacts & M. Sageret is referred to with doubt by Herbert

Do forest-trees sport much in nursery gardens?

are the is the ground much manured

In species of close genus do more than three primary colours occur in relation with species — answered by Henslow see notes

In varieties is there any difference in off spring from A. into B. from B. into A. as takes place in mules ass & horse — important.
In crosses does male offspring take after male parent & vice versa

History of Tortoise-shell Cats, as only one sex so coloured = I have grey cat wh was female with tinge pn back of tortoise-shell.—

= Length of intestine in Persian Cat, in Brazilian toothless dog — I. St. Hilaire says length differs in different cats.—

Good observation — examine semen of Hybrid animal, in comparison with

Weigh skeleton of Tame Duck & Wild Duck, & then weigh their wing bones & see if relation is same good, avoids effects of fatness.

1. R. S. Ford, farmer and neighbour of Wedgwoods at Maer; a respondent to Darwin's questionnaire about the breeding of animals. Ford's answer was dated 6 May 1839. See Freeman & Gautrey 1969:223-24; Freeman 1977-55 and Correspondence 2:187-89.

2. Candolle 1824:2-3, 'M. Sageret, an enlightened member of the Agricultural Society of Paris, has also sent me the results of his experiments on cross-bred Cabbages ...' P. 39, 'The cultivated Cabbage, Brassica oleracea, according to M. Sageret [is] incapable of receiving fecundation from any but its own species . . .' See also p. 25.

3. W. Herbert 1837:353. Questions Sageret's report of seed-pods, some long, some short, produced by a cross of a cabbage and a horse-raddish

4. See letter Darwin to Henslow [24 Jan. 1840], 'Do you recollect our discussion about varieties of same plants not having three primary — Surely I have seen pale yellow hyacinth, & certainly blue & pink ones.—' Correspondence 2:252.

5. I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1841:298, 'Parmi les viscères intérieurs, le canal alimentair s'est notablement allongé chez le chat, en raison du régime en partie végétal, imposé par l'homme à cet animal exclusivement carnassier dans l'état de nature.' In Darwin's copy of Geoffroy, there are double score marks in the margin beside the passage.

4)

Experiment in crossing animals. — &c

(1) To cross some artificial male with old female of old breed & see result.— According to M^r Walker the form of male ought to preponderate; according to M^r Yarrell the latter ought either in first breed or permanently.—

(2) Cross two half-bred animals, which are exactly alike & see result.—

(3) Cross the Esquimaux dog with the hairless Brazilian or Persian animals of different hereditary constitution, to see whether offspring infertile.—
(4) Does the number of pulse, Respiration, period of gestation differ in different breeds of dogs, Cattle, (Indian & Common) &c: length of life.

(5) Does my Father know any case of quick or slow pulse being hereditary.

(6) In the last 1000 years how many generations of man have there been. — on what principles calculated.— in order to guess how many generations in Mammalia, in group effect of crossing.—

(7) Are the Eggs of the Penguin Duck quite similar to those of another Duck. in Pidgeon? — M^r Miller said yes with regard to former

1. A. Walker 1838:202, 'The second law, namely that of Crossing, operates where each parent is of a different Breed, and when, supposing both to be of equal age and vigour, the male gives the backhead and locomotive organs, and the female the face and nutritive organs.' Darwin liberally annotated his copy of Intermarriage inserting in the book a four-page outline of his own views of heredity vis-a-vis Walker's. The essay begins 'I reject Mr Walkers theory of one parent giving (see p. 150) one series of organs & ‹another› the other a different set.—'

[4v]

(8) Is form of globule of blood in allied species similar.— if not how is it in allied varieties

(9) Cross largest Malay with Bantam — will egg kill Hen Bantam.— Cross common Fowl with Dorking

(10) Statistics of breeding in Zoolog. Gardens — with respect to conditions of animals & their general healthiness — Foxes, Bears Badgers. How few wild animals are propagated, though valuable as show & curiosities! What is price of fox. otter. Badger &c &c &c.

(11) Keep Tumbling pigeons, cross them with other breeds.—

(12) About the blended instincts

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Remote Experiments — Plants

Raise seedlings surrounded by various bright colours, any effect? and silk caterpillars

(1) Shake a sleeping mimosa, or half bred mimosa (a) between sensitive & sleeping species, & see whether association can be given

(2) do the stamina of C. Speciosissimus collapse during sleep & do of Berberis — (latter I think certainly not)

(3) Sow seeds & place cuttings or bulbs in several different soils & temperatures & see what the effect will be.— will seedlings vary much more than cuttings &c

(4) Raise annuals or common English plants in Hothouse & see what effect on organs of generation

(5) Place pollen of Red Cabbage mixed with own pollen on flowers of other cabbages & see whether there will result hybrids —

(6) Dust flowers of one branch of Cabbage with pollen of other, count seeds, & see how great a proportion springs up true.— This in fact always takes place in natural Hybrids of Cabbages

(7) Sow daisy seeds of wild cabbage in very rich soil, will plants abort?, does it require successive generations to accustom them to such soil.— Sow weeds in such soil.—

7(a) Experimentise on Primrose seeds — it really is an important case — cross with cowslip pollen.— as these are wild varieties. Is any intermediate form found wild

1. See also Correspondence 2:190 about visual stimuli at time of conception affecting coloration in offspring. This comes up in connection with R. S. Ford's replies to the questionnaire on animal breeding. Freeman and Gautrey 1969.

2. See E43.

[5v]

(a)

c The Leptosiphon densifolium an annual sleeps closes flower on all gloomy days.— The garden Coronella. also sleeps on ditto — Cover them up periodically & see effect —

(8) Carry Bees, powdered with starch & Carmine & experimentise on their returning powers — then carry them in Electrical machine, reversing the poles test by suspending magnet within & see which way they fly.—

(9) I have noticed leaves covered with Honey-dew dusted with pollen of neighbouring grass

Spread sheets of Paper covered with some sticky stuff in flat places & see whether wind, on dry windy day, flower garden on gravel walk will drift many seeds — necessary to answer Wiessenborns doctrine of Equivocal Generation Charlworth p. 377. Have paper ruled in squares to facilitate investigation. Capital in middle of ploughed field on hills.—

10 Shoot tame duck on pond with Duck-weed — coot — waterhen —

examine dog, which has swum — on pools & rivers — every kind of seed must be distributed — Examine scum of pond for seeds.—

11 Soak all kinds of seeds for week in Salt, artificial water.—

12 Plant two races of Cabbages near each other — & enclose one twig of each in bell glass — sow these seeds & see if they will come up true — whilst others are crossed.—

Are Bees guided by smell — or sight. touching M^r Brown theory of insect-like Orchis —

a final cause of beauty of flowers — contrasted by Kirby — with animal reproductive system.—

— cover flower — put artificial flowers — also do with honey —

What is use of Bee Larkspur= =Toad Orchis=

how many flowers in minute do they visit?? good = !!

Examine pollen of double flowers, compared with single & see whether grains flaccid, as Koelreuter describes

Kill Sparrow after feeding on oats, give body to Hawk & sow pellet, ejected. done

Examine pollen of such flowers as do not seed or seed rarely — Magnolias. Azaleas & plants grown under unfavourable circumstances, as Hyacinths in glasses &c &c

1. [5]a-1 Weissenborn 1838a:369, 'The ancient doctrine of generatio spontanea seu æquivoca [is opposed to omne vivum ex ova] . . .' P. 373, 'Most . . . animals . . . spontaneously generated, afterwards propagate their species by ova . . .' P. 377, '. . . the seeds of the Hypericum not being furnished with a pappus or wings, I do not see how we are to account for [its germination and growth], except by the generatio æquivoca . . .'

2. R. Brown 1833:740-41, '. . . the remarkable forms of the flowers [viz., a striking resemblance to insects] in this genus [Ophrys] are intended to deter not to attract insects . . . [and] the insect forms in Orchideous flowers, resemble those of the insects belonging to the native country of the plants.'

3. Kirby 1835, 1:139, 'The most beautiful and admired, and odorous and elevated parts of the plant are its reproductive organs and their appendages, while in the animal they are the very reverse of this.'

4. Kölreuter 1761-66, often discusses fertilization of double flowers. In his own copy, Darwin made marginal notations on this subject on the following pages: 1761:46; 1764:110-11; 1766:67, 72-74, 84-89, 119, 122. See especially 1766:71-73 for discussion of 'Der saamenstaub . . . theils aus eingefallenen und leeren Kugelchen.'

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Experiments

Questions concerning Plants

Is the common Fig Dioecious — are its female flowers always barren — if not how does impregnation take place male & female flower in same receptacle

(8) Make duck eat Spawn, eggs of snail, row of fish & kill them in hour or two

My Father made hens cast Holly-seed & they grew

(9) Place Snap-Dragon. (I have seen one monstrous) Fox Glove & such like in very rich soil — As they have little tendency to double; what would be effect —

(10) Try in how many generations, daisy. Fever-fuge Groundsil. gilly flower will break & become double.— There is a double Crows-foot, or Ranunculus. =

(11) Try Nitrate of Soda — Salt. Gypsum. Magnesium Iron Rust Carb. of Ammonia.— Horse Urine &c &c on associated plants, where proportional number appear equal — & see whether proportions will vary, which will show that such proportions not effect of Chance
Maer.

(12) Take Bag of soil from centre of woods especially if date of wood be known & other odd places & see what plants will spring up which will show how seeds are transported, or how long they remain dormant, if kinds come up, not found in wood.—
but seeds continually dropping in woods, by birds

[6v]

13 M^r Herbert says Crocuses are very difficult to cross — are there races — if so plant them together. & raise, seed.— In letter M^r Herbert says so about Œnothera.—

(14) Examine pollen of those genera of which wild hybrids have been formed.

(15) What is History of Viburnum, or snow-ball-tree, what would result from seeds being sown =

See in Cultivated Plants, as Pentstemon, which have abortive parts, whether such vary.—

Do Bees go to Sweet Peas, important, for if so, as these can be raised true, there is no crossing by Bees.—

1. W. Herbert 1822:27; see also Darwin-Herbert 1839 correspondence, Herbert letter 5 Apr. 1839, 'I have failed in all attempts to cross Crocuses . . .' Correspondence 2:183.

2. W. Herbert to Darwin letter [c. 27 June 1839], 'Flowers of œnothera can scarcely expand from the bud without impregnating the stigmas . . .' Correspondence 2:203.

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Henslow. —

(1) Character of alpine Flora of Tierra del Fuego and Entomology of.— most important, as furthest removed possible point.— ⸮ genera in intermediate country

(2) Any known changes in Flora of countries during last century or two.— where agency of man not known.—

(3) How is Iris impregnated; which part of stigma? —

(4) As Papil. flowers appear difficult to cross, are there unusually many species in genera of Leguminosae.— Herbert explains numerous spec. of Cape Heath by facility. Knight takes opposite view.

Gaertner talks of several great & natural Families, as being difficult to cross.

(5) It is most important to ascertain amount of variation in plants raised by Scions, as Elms. &c &c — I have some reason to suspect Elms. & Orchidacaeous plants — no other case.—

(6) Will plant accustomed to rich soil, when placed in very poor flower, but not fruit — do not orchards become unproductive from poorness of soil.— yet crabs probably would grow there

(8) Where parts of fructification lat retrograde into leaves — is this ever effect of want of nutrition.— Horned oranges do? — Yes, my Father lost this character in gr^t degree from charcoal & good treatment

1. W. Herbert 1822:27, 'It has been conceived that the African Heaths consist of different genera, which might be distinguished by the shape of their pods: but I have found no difficulty in intermingling species with different shaped pods, which proves that such a division would be erroneous . . .'

2. Knight 1822:371-72 (see also QE1v-2). Believed mules to be sterile. Herbert 1822:16, 'It is not even true that all mules amongst animals are entirely sterile.'

3. K. F. Gærtner. See numerous publications on plant hybridization.

4. Henslow 1838:338. Discusses relation of soil to plant growth: 'From the character of the soil and the condition of the islands we might expect a priori to meet with a purely littoral flora, and with none but extensively sporadic species.

5. See letter Darwin to Henslow 3 July [1840], from Shrewsbury, 'I remember in your lecture you said monsters were sometimes curious.— We have a largish orange tree, covered with oranges & nearly all therse are annually horned . . . The tree has long been without manure.— Correspondence 2:271.

[7v blank]

(8

(8) Do bees frequent Cabbages & Cowcumber's out of doors much — or the minute Orthopt.— important, as we know how readily they cross.—

(9) In the nurseries, when seed of the varieties of Cabbages, peas, beans, as raised, do the Seedsmen select at all from the plants? If not, I am surprised plan such plants do not degenerate, — as the Bees will mingle the infinitesimal varieties which must occur.— ⸮ is it not these infinitesimal varieties, which counterbalance each other?

(10) Is number of pollen-grains necessary to impregnate ordinary number of seeds known? — Linnaeus has shown that each pistil is connected with separate division of germen ? —

(11) Must pollen grain be whole, to impregnate? — I presume only stigma impregnable.—

(12) At Maer Cowcumbers in frames are not artificially impregnated. Abberley says Ants — Enquire

(13) Do any of same species of Willows grow in same situation & flower at same time. Has H. seen group of different species growing

1. For Abberley's work on pollination of cucumbers by insects, see Correspondence 2:306.

2. Linnaeus 1775:192-93, '. . . the stigma . . . is double, when the fruit consists of two cells, as in the masked and umbelliferous plants; triple, when the seed vessel has three cells, as in the lilies . . . [The flower] is furnished with as many receptacles for the seed as there are stigmata.'

[8v]

White Mullein good plant to sow & try to get other species

(9

near close to each other.— as they are dioecious, if no hybrids were produced by seed, we might feel sure, that pollen of own kind is much more effective than of foreign — Eyton has such a grove of Willows.—

(14) At What distances from males, will female (a) Willows or Yews some poplar's produce.— Bowman female branch

(15) Would Yew fruit without impregnation.—

(16) Any calculation of number of grains of pollen in any one flower

(17) Catch Bees, Butterflies — Syphus — Meligethes & see whether they are dusted with pollen — in what state (whole or broken) is ball of pollen on Bees thighs

(18) Place pin's heads with Bird lime near male yew tree & see whether they catch pollen — Ne In Œnothere bush.—

(19) Theory of mock flowers in Hydrangea

(20) As Hop is dioecious — seedsmen who raise Hop seed — may know something about proportion of plants necessary &c &c

1. Eyton-upon-the-Wild Moors, the home of Thomas Campbell Eyton, 2½ miles north of Wellington, Shropshire.

2. Bowman 1837.

3. See Calendar letter 750 of 5 May [1844] from [P. de M. G. Egerton] on propagation of Irish and common yews.

[9v]

(a) Mercurialis — Frog Bit, Valerian — Urtica Dioica Sorrell. Lychnis. Butchers Broom — also, Vinca Examine all these, are they much frequented by Bees or Butterflies or little insect? = or is pollen excessively minute or abundant? do they seed plentifully? Look for isolated females.— Also any plants which are known easily to be crossed & all monocecious plants.—

Hooker says Rafflesia is dioecious & Pollen must be carried by some insect —

(10

(21) (Paris) Are there many instances of single clumps of plants in counties, as of rare green Cotton Plant — How large area clump there? distinguishable from other clumps from other parts? Don says Irish, Scotch & English plants generally distinguishable.— What structure of seeds. —

(22) When Linnaeus says so great percentage of seeds have contrivance for transportal, does he include seeds good to eat. (even Nux Vomica is eaten by a Buceros in East Indies — Asiatic Researches)

(23) Talk about Thyme. Horned Oranges. Spallanzani Essay — Figs kinds of flower annually.— Periwinkle, (not asclepiadae. in Lindley)

(24) Do Bees distinguish species, they do not varieties.—

(25) does the yellow white Butterfly deposit eggs in all varieties of Cabbage.

(26) do deer Keepers cross the breed — desirable as in Cattle in Chillingham Park — What Book on varieties &c of deer. Contests of sexes.—

1. David Don: probably personal communication. See Don 1817-20 for a discussion of geographical distribution of plants in Scotland and in various European and Asian countries.

2. Linnaeus. A particular reference to this citation could not be traced, but for a discussion of the subject, see Henslow 1837:277-78.

3. C. White 1799a: 125, 'But what may be probably deemed the most extraordinary circumstance relating to this curious bird [viz., the Hornbill, Buceros], is its feeding upon the Nux vomica.'

4. Spallanzani 1769.

5. Lindley 1839:137, 'The Periwinkles, Vinca major, and minor . . . are the plants of this order [Apocynaceæ] which inhabit Europe. They are readily known by their opposite leaves, and bifollicular fruit, from all orders except Asclepiadaceæ, and from that order by their separate anthers having powdery pollen.'

6. CD received information from W. Yarrell on wild cattle of Chillingham Park. Correspondence 2:134.

10a)

Q. 30) March 1842. Last year before last beans & peas were planted in rows adjoining & seeds gathered. there were planted last year pell mell, without sticks & seeds gathered & these are now to be planted this year

copied

Gould. —

Number of species of Birds in New Zealand, plants so few —

Range of mundane genera, in Birds in accordance with range of species? —

Are there any fine doubtful species from Van Diemen's Land? or New Zealand?

Babington about differences of Irish & British Species & British & distant parts of Europe.—

Gould — go over the Pigeons, Philotis, Dacelo. Alcyone, where there are very close species & see whether they come from isl^ds or different parts or same v district.—

About endemic & wandering species of confined genera

By my theory in volcanic or rising isl^d there ought to be a good many races or doubtful species; how is this at Canarys Arch — it is so at Galapagos.—

Ireland, doubtful species —

Does any genus of Plants, vary & hard to separate specifically in one country & not in other: Rosa is hard in Europe, Walnut in America.— Heaths in Africa. ? Hooker    Are these genera less difficult, in other countries, where species are either numerous or even where few are they constant: this very important for it w^d show that such variation is not a generic or specific character, but contingent on country.— How is it in Patella or Oysters or Helix. Or does any one species of plant, vary in one region of Europe & less in another region —

1. Babington authored various botanical articles on this subject.

2. Gould 1837a:144; 1837c; [1837-38]; 1839:144; 1840a:114; 1840b: 150, 160; 1845:18-19.

(11

(27) Which sex in Mules generally fails — perhaps indexed by secondary characters — in double flower, do

Henslow speaking of Thyme doubts about stigma in similar manner ever failing.— answered by Gaertner

(28) Can any annual, or Biennial be grafted or cuttings taken or tuber — talk about M^r Knights theory with Henslow.— D^r Fleming says yes.

(29) Are there races of Lupine, Stocks Clover to experimentize on by sowing near each other & see whether cross can be obtained. I name these three plants, because they cannot be crossed, I think, I expect, except by very minute insects.—

(30) Get Abberley to plant single Peas, Kidney Bean & Bean, intertwined, without sticks — in reference to what M^r Herbert observe on this subject —

(31) Ask Henslow for list of annuals to place in Hot house to see effect on generative organs of great Heat

(32) Can Henslow ask question of Col. Le Couteur about Wheat — change of Soil — crossing when seeds raised.— His Book.—

"Abberley, John, 1840-50. Gardener at The Mount. Sent CD observations on ants and bees. CD asked A to plant "single Peas, Kidney Bean & Bean, intertwined, without sticks" and observe. Questions & experiments notebook. DAR 206.11. CCD2." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021.)

1. For letter from J. S. Henslow, 21 November 1840, on this subject see Correspondence 2:276.

2. K. F. Gærtner. Reference not traced.

3. See Knight 1822:369 for a discussion of grafting wild and cultivated varieties of the same species; no mention of grafting annual or biennial plants or tubers. See also Knight 1809:393, '. . . I have observed that seedling plants, when propagated from male and female parents of distinct characters and permanent habits, generally, though with some few exceptions, inherit much more of character of the female, than of the male parent, and the same is applicable, in some respects, to the animal world . . .'; and Knight 1837:369, 'Whenever I have obtained cross-bred animals by propagating from families of dogs of different permanent habits, the hereditary propensities of the offspring have been very irregular, sometimes those of the male, and at other times, those of the female parent being prevalent . . .'

4. Correspondence 2:306.

5. W. Herbert 1837:352, '... the closely allied genera Faba, pisum, vicia and ervum cannot be upheld as distinct . . .'; p. 353 '. . . I have seen cultivated in Yorkshire a plant having the growth of a vigorous field pea (Pisum), which produces seeds that no man would hesitate to call beans . . .'

6. Le Couteur 1836:3, '. . . winter, or beardless wheat was [according to Romans] best suited to dry uplands, and bearded wheat to low, or moist lands.' Le Couteur served with Henslow on the Wheat Museum of the Royal Agricultural Society and also visited Henslow in Hitcham. Correspondence 2:274. See M155.

[11v]

32. Would wheat from Aegypt ripen in Scotland? — to show acclimatisation.—

July 1842

When nettle leaf, put into spirits, poison-drop exudes — does not elm. does it in melon — Loasa Anchusa Campanula &c & dead-nettle.—

Lithospernum. Blue Gloss

it is not possible to see orifice of poison-tube — so put carmine in spirits & then experimentise: for gradation in structure
Verbena

Compare flowers of wild & tame carrot — Parsley & Fennel.

Compare flower of different Cabbages most carefully to see if variation equal in flower with leaves.— strawberries

How soon early do characters of races of different vegetables & animals come on.— Compare calves ∴ Compare young, beans, cabbages.—

History of Pheasant-fowl. Hen coloured like cock-pheasant: said not to sit on own eggs

Flowers in short turf, for abortion, or for sterility

Land Birds Madeira migratory — ask Gould about N. Zealand, as Cuculus lucidus is.— Ask Sulivan about Falklands Isds — Snipe migratory — probably united by Land to S. America

1. Gould 1845:18-19. Cuculus of Australia mentioned.

(12

(33) Ornithologum commonly but improperly called Canadense — would it grow in open air in Sweden. Linnaeus found 2 flowers, which had anthers removed, did not become impregnated.

(34) Any recent information about pollen of Subularia

Royle & Horsfield

(35) Talk about races of Banana & yet seedless — no light Henslow or Royle. Latter says seedless — Also about Sugar-Cane Edwards says does not seed — Bruce says does

In Royle's Productive Resources Book no information

Royle & Hope about Silk worms. Varieties effects of domestication — said to require Selection

(36) Ask M^r Gowen to ask M^r Herbert, how many generations any hybrid has been reproduced itself.—

Ask Gray to ask M^r Riley to experimentise on hybridising ferns, tying them back to back

37 Col. Sykes fertility of men & Europasian animals in India? — (about Chetah & other tame animals not breeding when tame in India? — does not know About Yaks. & other Hybrids — Dogs &c &c

38 Does only male yak cross with cow: is not reverse possible??

1. Linnaeus 1786:40-41, 'The interior petals of the Ornithogalum, commonly, but improperly, called Canadense* [*Albuca major, Sp. P1. ed. 2.] cohere so closely together, that they . . . will scarcely permit the pollen of another flower to pass ... I therefore . . . extracted the antheræ . . . and . . . this single flower proved barren. This experiment was repeated . . . with the same success.'

2. Edwards. Not traced.

3. Royle 1839,1:118, 'As they [embassies of Lord Amherst and Dr. Abel] approached Canton, groves of orange-trees, of bananas . . . relieved extensive fields of rice.' P. 163, '[In the northern parts of India] are cultivated limes, lemons, and oranges, the jujube, and pomegranate, with bananas . . .' P. 355, 'Mr. B. [i.e. Brown] further adds, that it is not even asserted, that the types of any of those supposed species of American Banana, growing without cultivation, and producing perfect seed, has anywhere been found.' Royle also discusses the taxonomy, geography, and economics of bananas, plantains and the genera Musa of Musaceæ. See also Royle 1840:115-39, 'Silk Culture in India'; pp. 85- 94, 'Culture of Sugar in India'. See discussion of bananas 94, 'Culture of Sugar in India'. See J. D. Hooker's letter 12 December 1844 on geographical distribution and R. Brown's claim that bananas are indiginous only to East Asia, not America. Correspondence 3:91,93.

4. Hope 1836

5. In his list of questions about hybridization sent via Henslow to Herbert, Darwin inquired about the influence of various factors, eg., male vs female, wild vs domestic strains on persistence of characters in successive generations of hybrids. See Correspondence: 2:179-81 and for further correspondence with Herbert pp. 182-84, 201-4.

6. J. E. Gray. President of the Botanical Society of London; presided at the 16 Feb. and 16 March, 1839 meetings of the society when papers of Martens 1839a, and Riley 1839, on hybridity of ferns were read.

7. Riley 1839. Doubts Martens' 1839 contention that ferns reproduce sexually and hybridize,

8. Sykes 1835, 409, '. . . Captain Oakes ... had a Colsun in his possession alive for a considerable time, and was never able to subdue its natural savageness in the slightest degree.'

9. Sykes, 1835, 1838a. Mentions members of the dog and cat families of India.

[12v blank]

(13

Maer

(1) Yew Trees near Boat House any male branch.— ⸮ number of seeds in beginning of November 1841.— Trees above male?

(2) Result of Edwards experiment in Cabbages given

(3) — in Heartease

(4) Does the Thyme bear abortive stamens every year & Spring. & within garden. # Yes

(5) Examine the Parnassia whose stamens move one after other to flower (& Menyanthes whose pollen bursts before flower is open. No)

(6) There is apple with branch in middle of tree with flowers near end of orchard. = At Shrewsbury one branch of Rhod. flowered later.— effect of accident??

(7) Which Rhododendrum seeds?? —

Bladder-nut # Laburnum # Dodecatheon #

Castrate apple & pear to see if pollen naturally carried, on account of Van Mons views — Also peas —

1. Edwards. Not traced.

2. Correspondence 2:276.

3. Mons 1835-36.

[13v]

N.B. I think very likely the Peas to cross ought to be placed far from all other Peas, from Wiegman

1. Wiegmann 1828. See also W. Herbert 1837:352, 'In 1823 [Dr. Wiegmann] sowed Pisium sativum (the field pea) and Vicia sativa (the common vetch) together; the seedlings showed a departure from the natural colour, and yielded grey seeds.'

(14

Shrewsbury

(1) Peas.— Beans seeds alone remain to be compared — Cabbages. kept true — Try experiment (30/p.11)

(2) Yew Berries germinate? — Yew trees sexes —

(3) Get Holyhoaks. races planted & Linum Perenne.— Herbert's. fact.—

(4) Effects of Nitrate of Soda under Beech.— Lychnis dioica answers this question —

(5) Open more Horned oranges.—

(6) Figs, flower.— Passion Flower, (as it is required to impregnate it artificially.) — Asclepias — Flowers not seeding — Put pot of boiled earth on top of House — Aristolochia, plant wh require insects to impregnate it

(7) History of Potato field=

(8) Abortive Thyme seeds weather wet — ⸮ Linum flavum put in Spirits which plant seeds?

(9) Melons fruit itself hybridised

(10) one had no seeds, & two had plenty of seed & these Seeds of unimpregnated Cucumbers will they seed.? —

(11) Abberley has planted seeds of pale green Cynoglossum. never germinated

(12) Does the horned orange. wh never has seeds produced good pollen? Yes From cultivation lost their horns is impregnation necessary to fruit — ; become well shaped by care

13 Arum before pollen is shed can you find flys dusted with pollen from other flowers? Can flys' escape from old flower —

(14) Has planted seeds of Geranium pyrenaicum. small white-flowered var. with abortive stamens.— show crossing & ? heredetary?

(15) Abberley has a hooked Pea.— intends to breed from it and large Asparagus: result? — failed to germinate

16 Will plant some of the Thyme with abortive stamens by Terrace to see, whether stamens will be produced in individual plants

17 A dead-nettle in Hot-house, will it seed? —

[in margin:] (Skim through Penny Cyclopaedia)

Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. 1833-1846. The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. 1833-1846. 29 vols. London: Charles Knight. [The original set is 27 vols. '29 vols.' suggests that the 2 vol. supplement was included in the count. It is added below.] [CUL-DAR240]

[14v]

15)

Abberley says that some Bees are smaller & more vicious. Will try to get me some to look at: — Was once offered a hive of these small Bees — at Sundorne has large Bees

= July /42/ Mark has six day's puppy of small true Bull-Dog — length from nose over head to root of tail 28 1/2. inches. From sole of foot to shoulder on line of back, height 17 1/2.

= The Greyhound, was in length (measured same way) 47 1/2 — in heigt 30 inches

Examine Keel of Common & Wild Duck — Black Duck & Penguin

1. Sundorne Castle, 3 miles north-east of Shrewsbury in Atcham district, home of Dryden Robert Corbet. See Correspondence 1:188, 620.

15

Henslow &c

(36) Has not H. raised races of white & Blue Linum — did parent plants grow near each other.— ? Cannot remember at all.

(37) Any cases of plants, which will not produce seed in this country — where cause not apparent — Any where pollen is not produced or small in quantity — Any unproductive, where germen does not swell, although there be pollen.— or few or bad seeds formed; badness may be merely not ripening —

(38) Have Dioecious plants any secondary, sexual characters.— Stature, position of flowers — their smell — form of flowers — Nectaries — In Monooecious order flower occupy particular position.—

(39) What does he think of D^r Flemings statement of Sweet Williams & Stocks, being propagated many years, by cuttings.—

(40) Ask Henslow to distribute some of my questions amongst agriculturists, whom he know.— Col. le Couteur on Wheat.—

(41) Have any monooecious or dioecious plants the Papilionaceous structure of flower — Ground nuts

(42) How are Orchidia? fecundated, as mass of pollen is requisite.— Brown's paper

1. Fleming. See note QE1v-5.

2. See Correspondence 2 (Appendix v):446-49 for a transcription of Darwin's questionaire 'Questions about the Breeding of Animals'which was privately printed and distributed to agriculturalists. See also Freeman and Gautrey 1969 for answers to the questionnaire.

3. Le Couteur 1836:12, 14, 15, 27, 55. Wheat crops could be greatly increased if 'we' follow Celsius and '. . . pick out the best ears of corn, and lay up our seed separately by itself.'

4. R. Brown 1833:740. Discusses degrees of viscidity of the pollen mass and the flower parts in the orchid Bonatea.

[15v]

43 Any flowers of Keeling Dioecious, or Monooecious, besides the Nettle.

at Galapagos — Dioecious.— Carex.— We may presume Nettle spreads by seeds —

(44) Zostera. Has he seen it in flower? Does he know Botanist who Does — What is Ruppia Bennett says in same state of flower

45. Charlsworth. vol II. p. 670 — oats cut down turning into Rye.—

46). Book describing amount of Horticultural Variation? Henslow knows only on Citrons

47. Ficus carica Henslow presumes females produce. Polygam. tricecia. (are female flowers ever productive) Smith says many trees in Tropics are of this class.—

(48) Where published list of spontaneous Hybrids — to see whether any Papilionaceous plants, — whether many mono or Dicoeious plants, & any with peculiarities of structure rendering cross impregnation difficult or reverse

(49) List of seeds Gaertner de fruct: — for woodcut — double hook Geum, Galium Burrh — single hook, curved spines — simple spines — or seed-cases with similar structure.— good case as showing how simple, but beautiful adaptation might be arrived at.— Any book with drawing of Seed. Anemone with tuft — Bull Rush — Dandelion — Sycamore. & seeds with mere border — & Humboldts spinning seed.—

(50) Any cases of wild varieties plants growing together, under same conditions. — like cowslip & primrose, but less strongly marked.—

51. Plant seeds of the Fuller's plants. Teazle

1. Henslow 1838.

2. Probably John Joseph Bennett.

3. Weissenborn 1838b.

4. J. E. Smith 1826:43. Ficus Carica is given as an example of Polygamia.

5. K. F. Gærtner 1805. See plates 181-225 showing drawings of seeds most of which have wings, spurs, or hooks; see pp. 253-56 for Index Generum.

6. Humboldt and Bonpland 1819, 4:172-73, 'We found near the bano of Mariara the volador or gyrocarpus. The winged fruits of this large tree turn like a fly-wheel, when they fall from their stalk.' Mariara is between Valencia and Caracas, Venezuela.

7. Fuller's plants: a thistle, Dipsacus fullonum, with curved and barbed bracts, used for napping wool; known as Fuller's teasel.

16

D^r Holland ; My Father. Andrew Smith

(1) Are cross-births, or other accidents of delivery inheritable.? — Bell c^d ask Accouchers

[in margin:] Is any peculiarity in milk teeth inheritable!!! very good

[in margin:] Any peculiarity in the males of a family —

Where one tooth aborts, do you know whether any trace in germ.

(2) Any more cases of diseases, generally occurring in man being transmitted through females, like Hydrocele — D^r H. thinks asthma in females takes place of gout.— How are livers? obscure organ, no answer

(3) Andrew Smith, about tamed wild animals breeding at the Cape.— # About two vars: of Lion: Annales des Sciences #

(4) Prolifickness of female, relation to healthiness? & father — answered

(5) About cross-bred races of men taking after sex. A Smith.

Andrew Smith. About species of Rhinoceros, becoming rare beyond limits of the metropolis of each — Cause? —

(6) What size book Gallesio storia del Reproduzione.— D. Holland

(7) Is Haemorragic tendency independent of heredetary cases, more common in man than in female —

(8) In Hump-back ever heredetary

(9) Are the works of Borhave (treating of heredetary diseases) translated.

(10) About Daltonism in the male Troughtons.— Paper in Taylors Scientific Memoirs

(11) And. Smith Savages at Cape any selection of Males in cattle or in Killing the worst = or in dogs =

(12) Do Hottentots generally resemble each other very closely, more closely than Caffres.—

13 Where are there any medical Statisics, proportion of diseases (heredetary?) in cliff, countries in same races

1. Thomas Bell was a dental surgeon at Guy's Hospital, London, where, presumably, he would have plenty of opportunity for questioning accoucheurs.

2. Holland 1839a, Chapter X: 116-144 (especially p. 117, p. 125, p. 125, note, and p. 129), discusses gout in males and females in relation to heredity and other conditions including asthma; in the book he does not say asthma in females takes the place of gout; see however p. 117, '... the same state of habit, or predisposition, which in some persons produces the outward attack of gout, does in others, and particularly in females, testify itself solely by disorder of internal parts, and especially of the digestive organs.'Very likely Darwin discussed the issue with Holland.

3. Andrew Smith: probably personal communication.

4. Reference not traced.

5. Darwin had visited Andrew Smith at Cape Town during the voyage of the Beagle and also met him in England: see Correspondence, 2:176, 311. Smith was Chief Medical Officer at Fort Pitt, Chatham, 1837-45. Christol 1835 and Vrolick 1837 had published in the Annales des Sciences Naturelles on rhinoceros; Dubreuil 1837, had published in the same journal on human races. No published references to varieties of lion or to breeding cattle at the Cape were traced. See Andrew Smith 1838- 49, Mammalia, [no pages numbered] Rhinoceros bicornis, '. . . the time may arrive when the various species [of Rhinoceros] which formerly may have been scattered, each, in a peculiar locality of a large continent, will be huddled together . . .' See also unnumbered pp. '. . . the Keitloa has not . . . been in the habit of generally extending his range higher than about 250° south latitude.' And '. . . the species [Rhinoceros Keitloa] appeared rare when compared to others.'

6. Gallesio 1816. Holland 1839a:27 mentions Gallesio's book.

7. Holland 1839a:21, '. . . hæmorrhagic diathesis [when hereditary] . . . [is] confined to the lungs . . . [of] the male sex.'

8. No mention of hereditary diseases and their treatment could be traced in any of Boerhaave's publications, either originals or translations. Prof. Dr G. A. Lindeboom, Amsterdam, personal communication, biographer of Boerhaave, confirms this.

9. Daltonism. See Wartmann 1846:164, '. . . all the male members of the Troughton family are similarly affected [with color blindness].'

10. Andrew Smith: personal communication.

11. Andrew Smith 1831:124, 'The coolness and indifference with which almost the whole of the Hottentot race regard the approach of death, has often been commented upon . . .' P. 127, 'The disposition to laziness [is] . . . decidedly characteristic of the more regular Hottentots . . .' P. 198, 'That clapping noise occasioned by the various motions of the tongue, [is] truly charac¬teristic of the Hottentot language . . .'

[16v] 17

M^r Gray General Questions

(1) Particulars about Sierra Leone, cow taking bulls. is it Domesticated African Animal = Knows nothing. ask

It is very important to know, whether Gould's observation holds good, that in the mundane genera, the species are have wide range — How is this in Plants??

Owen. Are abortive organs as young teeth, more plain in young Rhinoceros or Whale, than in old?? Falconer says all in cases.

[in margin:] Have talked partially with him

Ask him to introduce me to some Human Anatomist.

do. Has he dissected any animal often, which has abortive bone.

ask more about the lowest cervical vertebrae process developed into ribs.

& does its abortion vary, according to Bentham's Remark.

Horse or cow.— degree of soldering of tibia & fibula: in Man any abortive bones???

[in margin:] Wing in Apteryx. no

do. as Os Coccygis — Turbinated bones? False ribs. Wings of Apterix: clavicle in — ?

Combs in combless Poultry — Teeth in foetal state:

M^r Horner. On M^r Tremenheres Scottish Colliers, when men & women have long worked, whether children, who have not worked have any peculiar configuration.—

Hooker

Meta Metaphysics of Morphology.— Schelgel, is he serpent man? about zones separated by non-inhabited spaces: has he published? does he understand English.— Miguel to collect facts for me — what? What does Blume say on alpine Flora of Java?

Has Schow written on double creations & where? How are current & winds in Antarctic ocean: are they from West, like as between Australia & S. America?

Sabine says North of Siberia, no sea-current, icebergs travel by wind.

Aug. St. Hilaire Bot. p. 787. position of embryo in close species of Hilianthemum differs greatly — how very interesting to see if any variation in varieties. G. St. Hilaires law of Balancement

1. J. E. Gray 1839, 1846a, 1846b. On mammals of Sierra Leone and on cattle.

2. George Bentham on abortion is referred to 8 Dec. 1844 in a Darwin memorandum on a slip of notepaper DAR 100:40.

3. Tremenheres. Reference not traced, but see Horner 1836.

4. Whole entry related to J. D. Hooker — CD letters: CD to H 19 March [1845] see end of letter; H to CD [23] March 1845; CD to H [3 Sept. 1846]. Correspondence 3.

5. Murray 1845. See letter of J. D. Hooker [23] March 1845 to Darwin in which St. Hilaire 1841, Murray 1845, Schlegel, Blume, Miguel and Schouw are discussed at length. Correspondence 3:162-64

6. Schlegel 1834, and 1836.

7. Miguel: F.A.W. Miquel.

8. Blume 1824a.

9. Schouw published on geographical distribution of plants. But see Weissenborn 1838a:369-81; 621-24. See especially p. 370, '. . . in 1823, Professor Schouw, of Copenhagen, in his "Journal Tidsskrift fur Naturwidenskaberne". tried to invalidate the observations . . . favourable to [generatio æquivoca].'

10. E. Sabine 1840. No reference to an absence of sea currents could be traced, but see p. lvi, '. . . currents [moved] to the west at the rate of three-fourths of a mile an hour.' Regarding icebergs, see p. lxx, 'They were at a distance from the shore, surrounded by enormous masses of ice, between which they were driven about by wind and current. . .'

11. A. Saint-Hilaire 1841:787, '. . . des dissections faites avec soin ont prouvé que la direction de l'èmbryon était fort différente dans des espèces d'Helianthemum trèsvoisines . . .' In his copy of the book, Darwin double-scored this passage in the margin.

12. I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1832-36, 3:458-59, 'Il n'est point d'anatomiste qui ne reconnaisse immédiatement l'analogie ou plutôt lidentité parfaite de cette généralité tératologique, avec la Loi du balancement des organes, dont mon père et tant d'autres ont fait des applications si multipliées et souvent si heureuses à la zoologie et à l'anatomie comparée.' In his own copy of the book, Darwin scored the margin beside this passage. See also vol. 3:593; vol. 2:344; 1841:165-66; Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire [Etienne] 1830:215; Saint-Hilaire, August de 1841:145, 'Mais plus souvent, comme vous l'avez vu, l'avortement du limbe coїncide avec la dilatation du pétide, et ici vous avec un exemple de cette loi de balancement ou de compensation, qui ne régit pas moins le règne végétal que le règne animal, et qui veut que, quand un organe avorte, l'organe voisin prenne plus de développement.' ['Loi de balancement'—printed in margin of page.] In a letter to J. D. Hooker [3 September 1846] Darwin asks Hooker if he has ever thought of St. Hilaire's 'loi du balancement' as applied to plants, for example in the case of double flowers. Correspondence 3:340.

(18

Wm Yarrell

(1) About non-breeding of animals in confinement, curious.— foxes — English animals. (Made no import. remark)

(2) Secondary male characters.— does male transmit to male more of his features — in negro & white

(3) About the Bantams at Zoolog Soc.— did Sir. J. Sebright select to destroy secondary character believe no or did result appear without his wish

[in margin:] Has since recrossed this breed.— Have secondary male characters appeared.—

(4) Does he know any seed-raisers

(5) List of qualities in birds & animals for prizes.— Pidgeons. Canary birds — Bantams.—

(6) Mad Porto Santo Rabbit. Descript. of colour & length of ears & skeleton, & skin —

Van Voorst often writes to Lowe

(7) In breeding, pointers. Bull-Dogs. Spaniels — Grey-hounds — is there ever any degeneration??

Hounds. Eyton Mr Wynne, &c Could by selection a different looking animal be formed — not caring whether good or bad.— are any actually rejected??

(8) Get Sir. R. Heron to give me Pigs foot undivided, & more particulars regarding effects of crossing them with common pigs — (it is a Lincolnshire Breed) — Sir. R. H. supposes is now extinct —

(9) About. American & Europaean common species, having somewhat of different appearance.— (will introduce it in work)

Whether Yar knows whether Shaws hybrids between Trout & Salmon were fertile & whether homogeneous

About German ornithologists, Brehm & Glöger

Consul Hunt, birds from Azores or Madeira

1. Variation 2:151, 'Many members of the Dog Family breed readily when confined. The Dhole is one of the most untamable animals in India, yet a pair kept there by Dr. Falconer produced young. Foxes, on the other hand, rarely breed, and I have never heard of such an occurrence with the European fox; the silver fox of North America (Canis argentatus), however, has bred several times in the Zoological Gardens.'

2. See Correspondence 2:331, letter to William Yarrell [5 or 12 Sept. 1842] 'Do not forget when you see Sir J. Sebright to ask him whether the cross with the white Bantam brought back any of the "secondary male characters" to the hen-cock breed.' See also Variation 1:252 and 2:96.

3. Variation, 1:114, 'In colour the Porto Santo rabbit differs considerably from the common rabbit; . . .' See also Lowe 1833a: 102.

4. John Van Voorst.

5. Heron. Mentioned in Variation 2:92-93 regarding cloven and solid-hoofed pig-feet, and breeding of rabbits. See also Correspondence 2:141 where Yarrell sends information from R. Heron about pigs' feet and rabbits to Darwin.

6. No reference has been traced which mentions Shaw's hybrids between trout and salmon. But see Shaw 1836, 1838, and 1840. Shaw points out that parr are in fact the young of salmon; on p. 558 of Shaw 1840, is a comparison of the young of Salmo salar [Atlantic salmon], S. trutta [Brown trout], and S. fario [River trout].

7. Bhem. Should be Christian Ludwig Brehm. See letter 17 Oct. [1846] Darwin to L. Jenyns (Correspondence 3: 354), 'Andrew Smith once declared he would get some hundreds of specimens of larks & sparrows from all parts of Great Britain & see whether with finest measurements he cd detect any proportional variations in beaks or limbs &c. This point interests me from having lately been skimming over the absurdly opposite conclusions of Glöger & Brehm; the one making half-a dozen species out of every common bird & the other turning so many reputed species into one.'

8. Constantin Gloger.

9. Thomas C. Hunt 1845.

[18v] 19

M^r Blyth

(1) Mentions some breeder who raises many English birds — will young wild ones breed as well those already bred in cages.

Get direction write to

(2) Does he believe. Stanley's fact of Hawks distributing live Mamals

(3) Do most Hawks eat stomach of finches — do they throw up pellets —

(4) About hybrid pheasants treading — any treadee? — Difference in lambs of different herds

Is there any difference in breeds of Cattle & sheep in the sprouting of the horns, at different periods in different breeds — ?? or in individual case: subject to disease in youth.—

M^r Tollett — about selection for milking — loss of early habits in Dorsetshire sheep — migration of coots — variation in hounds =

An ugly calf turns sometimes turns into fine beast, would its offspring have ugly calves, also turning into fine beasts.—

For comparison with hybrids, is offspring of short-horn bull & hereford cow similar to reverse cross.—

Sow cast-up-balls of Hawks or even owls.—

How long do seeds remain in stomach of birds — Mem: how many miles they fly in few hours

1. Stanley. Not traced. Possibly Stanley 1835.

2. See D105.

3. Freeman & Gautrey 1969:223. George Tollet, agriculturalist and neighbour of the Wegwoods at Maer, answered Darwin's 'Questions about the Breeding of Animals' in part, saying, 'From one or other of these crosses [of various breeds already mentioned], (which may all be reckoned short-horned varieties the best sort of milking cow may be obtained N.B The first Cross generally gives so much vigour that the produce is apt to be superior to either of the Parent breeds.' See also Correspondence, 2:190-92, where Tollet's answers are printed.

(20

Zoological Soc

(1) Do the animals there sometimes couple but not conceive: Bears /yes/

(2) Foxes & English animals & birds breed

(3) In cases where Lions have bred, have they been raised from young ones, bred in captivity — M^r Miller says Wombwells were

(4) About fertility of ass-zebra-horse —

(5) About callosities on Camels-horses. &c &c Rhinoceros —

(6) Cross. Sus Barlyroussa with tame.—

(7) About fertility of Bantams from different countries =

Do the Peacocks cross.— Young Chinese or Penguin Duck in very young state for skeleton —

Does the tumbling of pigeons vary in manner & perfection &c &c &c — if so probably a variety, not specific character —

Cross Rumpless fowls & Dorking fowls, — or tailless dogs & fox, to see whether the characters are then intermediate or sometimes all on one side, as in crossing varieties

Amongst varieties cross one with abortive tail or horn, with another & see result, for comparison with natural species, as dioecious plants when crossed

[20v] 21

R. Brown — will pollen act on any flower before stigmas expanded — in reference to Lobelia & Clarkia — Peas time of impregnation.—
says many flowers are dichogamous

Zostera — Knights notion of pollen & stigma generally not being mature at same time on same plant — Flora of Australian Mountains.— I could extract nothing from him

Is setting of fruit, cross Conception —

Does impregnation ever regularly take place in unopened flower — doubt disbelieve this in Bauers case of orchidia

Where does J. Hunter use expression of "male principle of arrangement." — would not male or female "constructive principle" be better, or "constructive action on germ" —?? answered

Does Mormodes (one of the Catasetums) really always hit stigma by projecting pollen-masses? —

Has Ophrys nectary? = Bunbury says no hollow spur.— Ask about Pinks & Solanum impregnation before flower open. An. des Sc.

Where is Boerhaave's paper on impregnation of violets. = Zostera = Are dwarf plants on Wellington Mountain described in Flinders = Alpine

Australia Flora = Banana's seedless — 20 varieties in mountains of Tahiti.

D^r Boott — says caricas from every isl^d differs — do they also differ in different countries — on flora of African Isl^ds —

names of Plants found on mountains of N. America similar to Lapland Plants — will get answer.

Is pollen of cultivated Orchis & Asclepias & — carnosa? — good —

Norfolk Is^d — geology, volcanic? Applies to my geology & Species theory — peculiar Fauna?. Australian Alps — ; are any Europaean forms found diere —

Lindley says that only one pineaple

1. R. Brown, in Flinders 2, 1814:560 (Appendix 3), 'At the period of bursting of the Antheræ the stigma in Lobelia is almost completely evolved and capable of receiving impregnation from the pollen of the same flower . . .' See also, 'On the contrary in Goodenoviæ the stigma at the same period, is hardly visible, and is certainly not then capable of receiving impregnation from the pollen of its proper flower: it is therefore either impregnated by the antheræ of different flowers, or in some cases, at a more advanced stage by the pollen of its own antheræ, which is received and detained in the Indusium.'

2. Knight. Reference not traced.

3. Bauer 1830-38:xii, '. . . a union is effected between the caudicula of the pollen masses and the stigmatic glands (which precedes the expansion of the flower) . . .' See also Robert Brown 1833:692, '[Bauer proposed in Orchideæ] impregnation to take effect long before the expansion of the flowers . . .'

4. Hunter 1835-37, 4:34-43, 'Account of the free-martin,' p. 34, note, '. . . it is well known that the seed is the female production in [the vegetable], and that the principle of arrangement for action is from the male. The same operation and principles take place in many orders of animals . . .'

5. C. Bunbury: probably personal communication.

6. No mention of impregnation of violets could be traced in any of Boerhaave's publications. Prof. Dr G. A. Lindeboom, biographer of Boerhaave, personal communication, states, 'Neither did Boerhaave write a paper on impregnation of violets.' Boerhaave was an early leader in the theory of sexual reproduction in plants. See Preface by Boerhaave in Marsilli 1725. Darwin's father, Robert W. Darwin, had earned his MD in 1785 at University of Leiden, where Boerhaave had been Professor of Botany and Medicine.

7. Flinders, 1814. No mention of dwarf plants on Mount Wellington elevation 3100 feet, near Hobart, Tasmania, could be traced in Flinders, or in Robert Brown 1814. Darwin climbed Mount Wellington in February, 1836, but did not mention dwarf plants in his Diary, 1933:390. On the Blue Mountains, elevation over 3000 feet, near Sydney, Australia, Darwin found 'scrubby' Eucalyptus (Diary, 1933:379). Also, J. D. Hooker 1847-60, Part III, Vol. 1 (1860) Flora Tasmania: 356-57, mendons Podocarpus alpina, a small, scraggy bush, or sometimes a tree up to 13 feet high, on Mount Wellington.

8. Boott. Reference not traced; undoubtedly a personal communication. However, see Boott 1845-47, who read a paper in 1842 on Carices of North America.

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Horticulturists

(1) Are sterile hybrids healthy: number of generations: about crossing of plants, especially Papilionaceous order

(2) History of fruit trees far north in Scotland — do they flower — do they live healthily, or does fruit merely not ripen.— The point to attend to is whether good & plenty of pollen is produced. & 2^d if so, whether concepcion takes place, — the mere fact of seeds ripening has scarcely any no relation to hybrids.—

(3) As peaches sport into Nectarines (does reverse happen?) what is effect of crossing peaches & nectarines: same question with regard to Primroses.

(4) do apples "sport" in fruit, or time of leafing

(5) Do the most cultivated show Heartease produce as large capsules of seed, as the commoner kinds —

cattle are horned, Suffolk have abortive no horns by abortion, but sometimes have dangling ones.— Is there any genus of plants in which some organ is absent by abortion, but appears in abortive state either in the species, or in the individual by chance & under domestication.—

N.B. Benthams remarks, where parts of flower are reduced from normal number, they are apt to vary in number in individuals of same species —

1. Anderson 1799-1803, 1:69, '. . . in England . . . the horses naturally produced have fewer joints to the tail than those of other countries ...'

2. Ervum is a genus of vetch.

3. Sand-walk was a gravel path at Down House, leading to the back of the property and through a little wood. Darwin walked there often for reflection and exercise. See F. Darwin 1902:70-71.

[21v] 22

Eyton

(1 ) Number of eggs of half-bred geese — inter se, & with parents & of Chinese geese.

(2) Anatomy of muscles of stumps of tailess dogs & cats.—

(3) Hounds — lazing —

(4) about blended instincts of the geese which he crossed; especially if the hybrids were recrossed with either parent.—

May. 44

These Hybrids differ in colour of beak, taking after male & female parent. — Will they grow up in other respects different? Important.—

Oct. 44

Tell J. Anderson's statement of English Horses having fewer vertebrae in tail, than Continental horses.

— About the leaping of Irish Horses, bred in this country.

Chinese Dog's Head to send

Cover common Pea (& Sweet Pea) for several generations under net & see if get sterile — Cover that little Ervum in Sand-walk, on which I think I have never seen Bee visit.

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Experiments in Garden

Sow stones of Standard Apricot grafted on what, & see what comes up.—

[23v]

Experiments not connected with Species Theory

(1 ) Will an extract of peat do to preserve fungi or animal substances — (Athenaeum (40) p. 823 chemical analysis of Peat

(2) Athenaeum 1840 p. 777. decaying wood absorbs oxygen & forms Carbonic Acid, will this bear on Petrifaction? —

1. J. F. W. Johnston 1840:823, '. . . some varieties of peat . . . were illustrative of a transition from the comparatively fresh and vegetable matter to a substance resembling coal, but which [were] affirmed to be ulmic acid.'

2. Darwin meant pp. 773-74. See Liebig 1840:773, 'Woody fibre, in a state of decay, is the substance called humus. This body possesses the property to convert oxygen into carbonic acid.' See also p. 774, 'Carbonic acid, water, and ammonia, contain the elements necessary for the support of animals and vegetables. The same substances . . . are the ultimate products of the chemical processes of decay and putrefaction.'

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[24v]

Experiment

Cover patch of ground, with different salts & poisons & see in what order plants would reappear after th being killed

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Questions & Experiments