DARWIN, CHARLES | Autograph letter signed, to [John Jenner Weir], 4 Chester Place, R[egents] Park, N.W. March 22, [1868].

DARWIN, CHARLES

Autograph letter signed, to [John Jenner Weir], 4 Chester Place, R[egents] Park, N.W. March 22, [1868].

8 pp (177 x 219 mm) on two bifoliums, signed "Ch. Darwin". Creases where previously folded, some light toning to first and last pages, light marks where previously attached with paperclip. 

An excellent detailed letter by the father of evolution to a fellow naturalist, with very good scientific content, including on homosexuality and sexual preference in birds. Early scientific observations of this kind were not often discussed outside of correspondence such as this, and certainly not shared with the Victorian public, whom many felt would be shocked by such descriptions of the animal kingdom. Indeed, this attitude and fear of shocking the public persisted well into the 20th century, with the most famous example being that of George Murray Levick's observations of Adélie penguins during the 1910-1913 Scott Antarctic Expedition, during which Levick observed widespread homosexuality amongst male penguins, and various forms of aggressive sexual behaviour toward both male and female penguins. A fascinating letter and an important early document in the nature vs. nurture debate. It reads in part:

"I was particularly glad to hear you and your brother's statement about the 'gay' deceiver-pigeons. I did not at all know that certain birds could win the affections of the females, more than other males, except indeed in the case of the Peacock. Conversely, Mr. Hewitt, I remember, states that in making hybrids the cock-pheasant would prefer certain hen-fowls and strongly dislike others. I will write to Mr. H. in a few days and ask him whether he has observed anything of this kind with pure unions of fowls, ducks &c. I had utterly forgotten the case of the Ruff; but now I remember having heard that it was polygamous; but polygamy with Birds, at least, does not seem common enough to have played an important part. So little is known of habits of foreign birds: Wallace does not even know whether Birds of Paradise are polygamous."

REFERENCES

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6038,” http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/DCP-LETT-6038;  Published in: The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16