From Alpheus Hyatt January 1877
Summary
Reports on his work. Relationships of shells found at Steinheim; attempts to elucidate the genesis of different forms.
Author: | Alpheus Hyatt |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | Jan 1877 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 357, 359 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10760 |
From Alpheus Hyatt 23 May 1881
Summary
Wishes to correct impression of his attitude towards CD’s contribution: CD has successfully explained how differences arise.
Pleased CD will read his book [Tertiary species of Planorbis at Steinheim (1880)].
Author: | Alpheus Hyatt |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 May 1881 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 360 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13171 |
From Alpheus Hyatt [late] November 1872
Summary
No need to apologise for not quoting AH’s paper on acceleration and retardation.
Agassiz introduced AH to ammonites and entrusted collection to him. Has followed developmental history of each species and placed them within geological formations. Found evolutionary history of species recapitulated only to a degree in individual development. Stages frequently skipped. Explains why young of later animals are like adults that preceded them. Retardation entirely idea of Edward Drinker Cope. Sends paper to explain it. Acceleration can explain degraded forms. Often like youthful stage with which series began. Often resemble old age of earlier series. Regularity of these series incompatible with natural selection. How can selection account for degraded final stages or for predictability of development? Franz Hilgendorf’s Paludinae from Steinheim lake show same parallelism in development. May be possible to reconcile this with selection. But Trochiformis begins to show degradation in beds where it is most numerous and has largest individuals, i.e., where selection seems to be favouring it. Will work on Steinheim shells this winter.
Author: | Alpheus Hyatt |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [late] Nov 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 99: 48–55 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8655 |
From Alpheus Hyatt 8 December 1872
Summary
Discusses his theory of acceleration and retardation of development.
Author: | Alpheus Hyatt |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Dec 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 145: 365 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8665 |
From Alpheus Hyatt 8 January [1875]
Summary
Encloses report on his paper "Old age characteristics among ammonites", [Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 17 (1875): 236–41].
Stability of long inherited characters. Dependence of some recently acquired characters on the environment.
Author: | Alpheus Hyatt |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Jan [1875] |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 358 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9233 |
letter | (5) |
Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
Hyatt, Alpheus | (5) |