Summary

CD finds JT’s discourse "grand and most interesting" [On the scientific use of the imagination (1870)]. Flattered by what JT says about him.

He is "a rash man to say a good word for Pangenesis for it has hardly a friend among naturalists".

CD is much struck with what JT says about "pondering" and delighted by his "as if" argument.

Summary

Candolle discusses social plants. CD devises criterion for showing sociability not inherent.

Bentham’s buried seed plan rejected.

Summary

Hopes GHKT will publish on variations in plant species at different elevations. Asks about variations among plants on heights of Ceylon.

Promises to publish on the species question.

Asks for pigeons’ skins from India or Ceylon, and for ducks’ skeletons. Mentions help promised by E. F. Kelaart.

Summary

Sorry to hear of CD’s poor health.

Is hard at work examining Ceratodus.

Encloses discussion of Mus species with functionally prehensile tails.

Encloses argument against freshwater fish entering the sea.

Summary

Rows of cells with granular matter following treatment with carbonate of ammonia also found in white and young rootlets of common zonal Pelargonium. Differs slightly from Euphorbia in that 2, 3, 4, or 5 rows often adjoin. CD wrong in supposing that these rows of cells were connected with lacticiferous ducts ("milk-tubes"). Root hairs arise exclusively from rows of cells without brownish granular matter. It appears that certain rows of cells with hairs are absorbent and store matter of some kind. This is a new view of the structure and function of rootlets. Francis Darwin will soon set up the salt solution to make the experiment SHV recommends.

Summary

Sends copy of Origin for comments.

Does not feel AG’s views of migration after the last glaciation explain distribution in U. S. as well as CD’s view of migration prior to glaciation.

Summary

Mentions his Plutonic view of earth history.

Cites Lyell’s opinions on loess.

CD doubts contemporaneousness of extinct great animals with ice period.

Cites applicability of Forbes’s theory of glacier structure to structure of volcanic obsidian.

CD is falling astern in the geological race for knowledge.

Summary

Has found prehistoric tools in his orchard that he believes have been buried by the action of earthworms.

Summary

Indicates portions of Island life that will interest CD. Explanation of the geological climate is the foundation stone of the book.

Hooker’s approval of the theory of Australian and New Zealand floras.

Summary

Will shortly return CD’s list of varieties of British plants. Discusses the situations in which different varieties of species are often found and the ranges of varieties relative to those of the species.

Summary

Suggests CD consult George Busk about his stomach.

Summary

Congratulations on Erasmus Darwin; likes CD’s part better than Ernst Krause’s.

Received false notice of Asa Gray’s death.

Gray and JDH engaged in comparing widely separated but floristically similar regions.

Summary

Oliver has written able paper on dimorphism for Natural History Review [n.s. 2 (1862): 235–43].

CD’s account of Viola is novel and interesting.

Has finished Cameroon mountain plants.

Jury work at exhibition.

Domestic problems – wife is ill, no cook, etc.

Summary

High, detailed praise for introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae [reprinted as On the flora of Australia (1859)]. CD expects it to convert botanists from doctrine of immutable creation.

Summary

Attacks by Falconer [Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] and Joseph Prestwich on Lyell.

W. B. Carpenter fails to attack Owen.

Welwitschia male cones with useless ovules marvellous example of lost function and retained structure.

JDH evaluates his sons.

Summary

Encourages DO to publish his paper and put his name to it. [Paper apparently not published.] Concurs with his views on primordial nature of hermaphroditism.

Summary

CD has written to Asa Gray criticising J. D. Dana’s arguments for a warm period subsequent to glacial period.

Remembers it is Alphonse de Candolle who states that many species are not true species.

Did Huxley write the excellent review in the Times?

Summary

Encloses letter concerning Edward Blyth’s application for a position with the China expedition.

Mentions reviews of the Origin. Guesses that Huxley wrote the Times review.

Alludes to discussion of relations between fossil and modern types [in Principles of geology 3: 144].

Discusses destruction of tropical forms in the glacial period.

Mentions letter from Dana concerning Dana’s illness.

Summary

Spiralling of tendrils.

Has worked hard on Drosera.

Is interested in tracing the "nerves" of Dionaea which follow the vascular bundles. Finds he can paralyse half of the leaf by pricking it at a certain point.

Wishes AG to carry out two experiments on D. filiformis.

Has received AG’s Dubuque address [Am. J. Sci. 3d ser. 4 (1872): 282–98].

Summary

Has done Edmondston’s Galapagos plants.

Dispute between Edward Forbes and H. C. Watson.