My dear W.—

You have sent me splendid information about Rhododendron leaves—² I cannot doubt from appearance of leaves sent that they have been dragged in by worms.— Your examining so many leaves lying dead & not dragged in has proved especially valuable; because I see in leaves sent by you, that many inserted by base are now narrower in apical part—& many inserted by apex are now narrower in basal part; This surprised me at first, but reflecting that after leaf had been dragged in by base or by apex, the part exposed & standing up in air w^d be almost sure to become more infolded & w^d thus become narrower.— The form of the leaves whilst lying on the ground w^d determine the worms how to drag them into burrow.— I have now got 42 drawn in by base & 20 by apex.— I think this is enough—but if in a week or two your spirits will allow you to pull up a few more, so much the better, for the bigger the number so much the better.— If you do, do not bother to send them or to count more on ground.— It is clear that there is much variability in shape of leaf & in manner of withering.—

Frank sent card about investment, this morning—³ You are a first-rate man to ask to make any observations. Will Sara⁴ tell me on what points you are not first rate?

your affect Father. | C.D.

There was fierce review against Geikie in last Nature, but I doubt its justice.—⁵ If, however, bones of rein-deer & Hippopotamus have really been found in close contact in same bed—it tells heavily against interglacial periods.—