About the difference in the power of flight in Dorkings, etc., may it not
be due merely to greater weight of body in the adults?

I am so old that I am not likely ever again to write on general and
difficult points in the theory of Evolution.

I shall use what little strength is left me for more confined and easy
subjects.


LETTER 424. TO MRS. TALBOT.

(Mrs. Emily Talbot was secretary of the Education Department of the
American Social Science Association, Boston, Mass. A circular and register
was issued by the Department, and answers to various questions were asked
for. See "Nature," April 28th, page 617, 1881. The above letter was
published in "The Field Naturalist," Manchester, 1883, page 5, edited by
Mr. W.E. Axon, to whom we are indebted for a copy.)

Down, July 19th [1881?]

In response to your wish, I have much pleasure in expressing the interest
which I feel in your proposed investigation on the mental and bodily
development of infants. Very little is at present accurately known on this
subject, and I believe that isolated observations will add but little to
our knowledge, whereas tabulated results from a very large number of
observations, systematically made, would probably throw much light on the
sequence and period of development of the several faculties. This
knowledge would probably give a foundation for some improvement in our
education of young children, and would show us whether the system ought to