From George Swaysland 12 June 1869
4 Queens Road | Brighton
June 12th 1869
Sir
In reply to your letter I beg to say that the birds that arrive for the first few days are all males, I have never seen the female before the males of any birds males & Females come together after the first few days, but it is not the case when they go away, I one Spring shot 39 Rays Wagtails before I saw a female, I have several times known the male Whitethroat build the nest before the females arrive1
I have seen clods of earth on the birds feet such as Wheatears Winchats Wagtails particulary on fogey mornings and certain they had only just crossed the water2
I have never noticed any substance in crops or stomachs of Birds when they arrive as they cross the water in the night or before they feed in the morning the greater part of the Wagtails arrive between 7 or 8 Oclock in the morning I have shot and caught birds for over 40 years and do so now if you should come to Brighton I could tell you a great deal more
I am | Sir | Your Most Obent | Servant | Geo Swaysland
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Origin 6th ed.: The origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 6th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Observations on birds entering the country in spring. Some have clods of earth on their feet.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6780
- From
- George Swaysland
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Brighton
- Source of text
- DAR 205.2 (Letters): 252
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6780,” accessed on 19 May 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6780.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17