On a True Parthenogenesis in Moths and Bees: A Contribution to the History of Reproduction in Animals

Description:

Translated from the original German edition, 'Wahre Parthenogenesis bei Schmetterlingen und Bienen' (1856), by William S. Dallas (1824-1890). Siebold’s ground breaking work, explored the fascinating subject of parthenogenesis, the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg. On receiving from T.H. Huxley, a summary of the original German edition of this work, Charles Darwin wrote to Huxley, 9th December 1856, ‘I am infinitely obliged for your note with Siebolds [sic] most wonderful facts, which stretch one’s faith to the utmost in that admirable observer. — Males always coming from unimpregnated eggs beats everything one ever heard!’. Darwin then requests ‘Sometime when you can spare Siebold’s Book for 2 or 3 weeks (for I am slow at German) I shd. Very much like to borrow it— Will it not be translated?’

Condition

8vo, orig. cloth. title page slightly browned. Vg.