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DOWN, BECKENHAM, KENT, S.E.

September 9th, 1869.

DEAR SIR,

I lately received, but I do not know by whom sent, a copy of your "Darwinische Theorie," and I hope that you will allow me to express the admiration and interest which it has excited in me. I must also thank you very sincerely for the manner in which you speak of my works. I am well aware that your generosity leads you to form much too high an estimate of what Ihave done; but it is deeply gratifying to receive the sympathy of so experienced an observer as yourself. As I am a very poor German scholar I have as yet read only a portion; but I have already found many observations and incidental remarks of especial interest to me.

The case of the male silver pheasant who was rejected by the females when despoiled of his ornaments will be very useful to me to quote in what I am now writing. I wish you had specified a little more in detail in what manner the plumage, was injured. If you have yourself observed, any analogous facts with mammals or birds, and would be so obliging as to communicate them, I should feel particularly grateful.

Pray believe me, dear Sir, with my best thanks and sincere respect,

Yours very faithfully,

(Signed) CHARLES DARWIN.

P.S.—I will venture to trouble you with one other question on the chance of your having bred last year the Pavo spiciferus. I am very anxious to know whether the spurs in this species are developed earlier or later in life, or at about the same period, as in the male of Pavo muticus.

It would be necessary to compare birds of the two species hatched last summer, for the spurs are quite small during the first year.

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DOWN, BECKENHAM, KENT,

RAILWAY STATION ORPINGTON, S.E.R.

February 3rd, 1875.

DEAR SIR,

I received this morning a copy of your work "Contra Wigand," either from yourself or from your publisher, and I am greatly obliged for it. I had, however, before bought a copy, and have sent the new one to our best Library, that of the Royal Society. As I am a very poor German scholar I have as yet read only about 40 pages, but these have interested me in the highest degree. Yourremarks on fixed and variable species deserve the greatest attention; but I am not at present quite convinced that there are such independent of the conditions to which they are subjected. I think you have done great service to the principle of evolution, which we both support, by publishing this work. I am the more glad to read it, as I had not time to read Wigand's great and tedious volume. With my best thanks for the honour which you have done me, and with the greatest respect,

I remain,

Dear Sir,

Yours faithfully,

(Signed)

CH. DARWIN.