Summary

Doubts the fruit will stick on his Chinese double peach and asks TR to send him a couple when ripe.

Would like to grow seeds of the "curious monstrosity" of a wall-flower, to see whether the monstrosity is hereditary.

Summary

Discusses crosses in sweetpeas and the difference between monstrosities and slight variations. Discusses peloric flowers.

Thanks for correction about furze.

Summary

Monstrosity of fuchsia sent by GD not uncommon.

Does not recall bats at Galapagos.

Summary

Glad Dareste is candidate for Paris Chair. No subject more important than modification of structure by direct action of changed conditions, and Dareste has thrown much light on subject. Believes monstrosities cannot be separated from slighter variations.

Summary

Believes GM’s reported monstrosity is not rare. Does not believe it resulted from the effect of the imagination of the mother on her offspring.

Summary

Observations on ocelli of Brahmaea certhia.

Monstrosity born to a woman – half bear, half human.

Summary

Cases of monstrosities becoming transmissible.

Comments on passages in Origin on the blindness of the tucu-tucu (Ctenomys) and Mammoth Cave rats.

Summary

Thanks RFA for extracts.

Does not believe resemblances can be produced as RFA suggests, but would not deny that a strong mental shock may cause arrest of embryonic development and thus give rise to monstrosities.

Summary

His father is grateful for the account of the alleged discovery of men with tails.

His father does not believe in their existence of the tailed men, although the tails may be an inherited monstrosity.

Summary

Asks CD to write a letter sponsoring him for the Chair of Comparative Physiology at Paris. There are some who do not think his work on artificial production of monstrosities belongs in physiology.

Summary

Has read Origin with satisfaction. He had long ago come to consider the fixity of species as contrary to the facts, but could see no suitable alternative. The Origin has brought the light to guide him.

Sends CD a copy of his latest work ["Mémoire sur la production artificielle des monstruosités", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 243–76]. Hopes to explain a great number of anomalies by his experimental work on artificially produced monstrosities.

Summary

CD’s letter [3992] gave him encouragement in his work [on monstrosities], which, he regrets, is little understood or appreciated in France. Hopes to be able to produce anomalies at will as a result of his experiments. Sends a recent paper ["Rapport sur un veau monstrueux", Arch. Com. Agric. Arrondissement Lille (1867)].

Summary

Thanks RM for his paper on mimicry.

Cannot answer RM’s query because he believes it impossible to define large variations.

Believes monstrosities are generally injurious and are not often, if ever, taken advantage of in nature.

Summary

Thanks for Variation.

CD must be happy about the tendency toward acceptance of his views, though it is regrettable that France is backward in this regard.

His own work goes slowly, but he still hopes his work on artificially produced monstrosities will help to answer the question of the origin of species.

Summary

Supervising French translation of Movement in plants. Why does not CD consider spontaneous movements of flower parts, which EMH sees also as circumnutation?

Summary

Sends CD two specimens of Fuchsia monstrosities.

He is writing on the geographical distribution of Cheiroptera and can find no information on presence or absence of bats in the Galapagos. Did CD see any there?

Summary

On effect of external conditions: CD thinks all variability due to changes in conditions of life because there is more variability under unnatural domestic conditions than under nature, and changed conditions affect the reproductive organs. But why one seedling out of thousands presents some new character transcends the wildest powers of conjecture.

Not shaken by "saltus" – he had examined all cases of normal structure resembling monstrosities which appear per saltum. Has fought his tendency to attribute too much to natural selection; perhaps he has too much conquered it.