Correspondence with Charles Darwin 167
apparently, pied markings in very young silver greys. I will write again as soon as I have definite results; and when the little yellow fellow is somewhat older, he is now 6 weeks, I will get opinions about him. Very sincerely yours, FRANCIS GALTON.
If you can easily lay your hands upon Gould's Anthropology of N. America, I should be grateful for it.
(16) 42, RUTLAND GATE, S.W. November 21/71.
MY DEAR DARWIN, I am truly ashamed to have trespassed so long on your kindness, in keeping the rabbits, but until now, owing to a variety of causes (including an epidemic where the animals are kept), I could not ask for them back. Now, all is ready to receive them in University College and I should be much obliged if you would instruct your man to send them there. I enclose labels with the address:-Charles H. Carter, Museum, University College, Gower Street, London-to put on them. Mr Carter will receive them when they arrive. Please tell your man to keep the bucks and does separate and to write bucks on the hamper which contains them. Will you also let me know what I am indebted to you for their feed and keep, including a judicious 'tip' to your man. I am really most obliged to you, I should have been stranded in this experiment, without the help, because I have only 2 of iny lot of rabbits alive and they are both out of condition and I doubt if one will live.
The College shuts up at 5 in the afternoon and nothing can be received after that hour. If that is too early for the carrier, what shall I do?-When may I expect them to arrive? My rats have died sadly, but owing to causes foreign to the effects of the operation. My last living pair, after being united nearly 3 months, were killed last week for the purpose of injection. Dr Klein kindly did it for me. One animal was injected with blue and the other with red, and vascular union is proved; but the connection was small, however Dr Klein thinks that with a more protracted connection the union would have been more complete. So I shall go on with vigour. Very sincerely yours, FRANCIS GALTON.
(17) 42, RUTLAND GATE, S.W. November 24/71.
MY DEAR DARWIN, The results are indeed most curious-You must kindly permit me to run down to you to-morrow (Saturday) for an hour or so, to see them and to fix what to do. I see my train would land me at Orpington at 11.12, so I suppose I should arrive at Down at about half past twelve. If however it should be a really wet day, I would postpone coming till Tuesday. You are indeed most kind to have taken all these pains for me and I sincerely trust the experiment may yet bear some fruit. I happened to be very unlucky with my Angora transfusions but there is no reason why they or the cross-circulation should not succeed and I will do my best to try it. Very sincerely yours, FRANCIS GALTON.
(18) 42, RUTLAND GATE, S.W. Dec. 2/71. (From Athenaeum)
MY DEAR DARWIN, The rabbits arrived quite safely and are in excellent condition. My man's letter to tell me of their arrival did not reach me till after post time last night or I should have written earlier. Once again, most sincere thanks for your kindness in taking care of them. Ever sincerely, FRANCIS GALTON.
Jan. 23rd [?1872] DowN, BECRENaAIS, KENT.
My DEAR GALTON, The Rabbits have lost their patches and are grey of different tints, so you were right. They are quite mature now and ready to breed. We have put 2 does to a buck, for one more generation. Had you not better have the others soon, as we shall soon want space for the Breeders?
Have you seen Mr Crookes? I hope to Heaven you have, as I for one should feel entire confidence in your conclusion'. Ever yours sincerely, Cu. DARWIN.
' I think this refers to Galton's investigations into spiritualism with Crookes (see our p. 63 et seq.). In More Letters of Charles Darwin, Vol. II, p. 443, there is a letter of Darwin to Lady Derby which reads: "If you had called here after I had read the article [probably Crookes' 'Researches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism,' Quarterly Journal of Science, 1874] you would have found me a much perplexed man. I cannot disbelieve Mr Crookes' statement, nor can I believe in his result. It has removed some of my difficulty that the supposed power is not an
