The Wallace-Darwin Correspondence 



until it had first grown to full length, and therefore it would 

 be increased late in life and transmitted to a corresponding 

 age. But the Crossoptilon pheasant, and even the common 

 pheasant, show that the tail feathers can be developed very 

 early. 



Thanks for other facts, which I will reflect on when I 

 go again over my MS. 



I read all that you said about the Dutch Government 

 with much interest, but I do not feel I know enough to 

 form any opinion against yours. 



I shall be intensely curious to read the Quarterly: I 

 hope you have not murdered too completely your own 

 and my child. 



I have lately, i.e. in the new edition of the ^^ Origin,''^ 

 been moderating my zeal, and attributing much more to 

 mere useless variability. I did think I would send you 

 the sheet, but I daresay you would not care to see it, in 

 which I discuss Nageli's essay on Natural Selection not 

 affecting characters of no functional importance, and 

 which yet are of high classificatory importance. 



Hooker is pretty well satisfied with what I have said 

 on this head. It will be curious if we have hit on similar 

 conclusions. You are about the last man in England who 

 would deviate a hair's breadth from his conviction to please 

 any editor in the world. — Yours very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



P.S. — After all, I have thought of one question, but if 

 I receive no answer I shall understand that (as is probable) 

 you have nothing to say. I have seen it remarked that the 

 men and women of certain tribes differ a little in shade or 

 tint; but have you ever seen or heard of any difference in 

 tint between the two sexes which did not appear to follow 

 from a difference in habits of life ? 



1 The fifth edition, pp. 150-7. 

 Q 241 



