Summary

Congratulates CD on the Copley Medal.

Directs CD to his short memoir on crossing ["De l’hybridité", C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. 59 (1864): 837–45].

Summary

Pleased that Bentham is cautious about Naudin’s view of reversion. CD can show experimentally that crossing of races and species tends to bring back ancient characters.

Suggests Gärtner’s Bastarderzeugung [1849] be translated

and that Oliver review Scott’s Primula paper [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 78–126] for a future issue of Natural History Review.

Is working on Variation.

Summary

Has verified J. M. Bechstein’s contention that species of finches hybridise.

Quotes Thomas Bewick’s observations on hybrids between pheasants and common fowl. RGM had often noticed so-called "pheasant fowl", but thought it was a foreign bird.

Summary

Has finished correcting Primula paper [see 4332].

Has presented paper on monoecious spikes of maize [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 213–20].

Summary

Thanks for communicating Oncidium sterility paper [see 4485] to Linnean Society.

Surprised that CD’s seedlings of non-dimorphic cowslip breed true.

Surprised also that the red primrose he sent reverts to wild form. He had reasoned from red’s infertility with yellow that it was an established variety. Tries to correlate inheritance of colour and sterility between varieties.

Summary

CD working on Variation; he will soon want corrected fowl MS [Variation, ch. 7].

WBT’s breeding experiments produced no sterility.

Summary

Has finished Climbing plants;

resuming work on Variation.

Sends abstract of John Scott’s paper [see 4332].

Has received review of Herbert Spencer but cannot believe AG wrote it unless he has muddled his brains with metaphysics.

Summary

Surprised at CD’s account of Bryanthus.

H. Crüger’s approach to Gongora fertilisation is beset with difficulties.

Reports his work on self-sterility of Oncidium.

Summary

Morphological differences only partly define species; physiological differences, e.g., incompatibility results in Primula, are far more interesting.

T. Thomson’s review of Agardh’s muddled book ["Agardh’s classification of plants", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1864): 536–51].

Summary

Sends Passiflora paper [see 4485].

Sends seeds of peloric Antirrhinum crossed by normal form and sends results of his experiments [table of crosses].

Summary

Proposes to support John Scott in research on relative fertility and self-incompatibility of plants. CD would pay him for a year or two but wants JDH to give him research facilities at Kew.

Summary

Reminds CWC that he offered to give information with respect to his observations on hollyhocks. Wishes he could persuade CWC to undertake experiments on the fertility of some crosses between the most distinct varieties.

Summary

Observations on Gossypium varieties.

Summary

Returns WBT’s box of skulls. One or two skulls may be elsewhere, but CD does not have the strength to search for them.

Summary

To Lyell’s chagrin, CD has come round again to A. C. Ramsay’s glacial theory.

On primrose and cowslip, CD maintains they are good species, notwithstanding Scott’s work.

CD defines species by power of remaining constant for a good long time and showing appreciable amount of difference from close species.

Summary

Encloses MS of his paper ["On individual sterility of Oncidium", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 162–7].

His next will be on Passiflora, Disemma, and Tacsonia [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 197–206].

When he receives proofs of his Primula paper he will add CD’s case about equal-styled cowslip.

Summary

W. H. Harvey’s dandelion case worth publishing.

Suspects the uniform Primula elatior JDH referred to is a distinct species.

Scott’s paper on Passiflora shows variability of reproductive systems.

Summary

CD has told Scott not to hope for help from JDH.

Health improving.

Hopes to write Lythrum paper soon.

Summary

Thanks for orchids.

Recovering from nine months’ illness.

Discusses fertilisation of Pulmonaria.

Summary

Discusses fertilisation of flowers by bees. Thanks JTM for drawings.