Summary

Sends a capsule of Dendrobium cretaceum. [See Orchids, 2d ed.]

Summary

Has heard from Julius von Haast that some of his letters were lost before leaving New Zealand. Haast’s enclosure for CD has been forwarded.

Haast and James Hector have both sent accounts of their travels in New Zealand.

Summary

GB’s address [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1863): xi–xxix] pleased him as much as Lyell’s book [Antiquity of man] disappointed him on species question. GB has done a "real good turn to the right side".

Summary

Recalls the long walks in Cambridge with the "expectant senior wrangler". Cannot accept invitation (related to meetings of the BAAS) because of continuing bad health, his own and that of his children.

Summary

His observations of varieties of Verbascum.

Reference to Abbé Correa in the Life of Sir J. E. Smith.

Summary

Herbert Spencer’s work disappointing – "all words & generalities".

Summary

Sends his tranformist book [De la création: essai sur l’origine et la progression des êtres, 5 vols. (1838–41)]; his admiration for CD’s work.

Summary

Discussion of, and thanks for, CLB’s new work, Races of the Old World [1863]. Special interest in p. 388 on colour and constitution; CD mentions questions sent previous year to surgeons serving in tropical countries regarding diseases and colour of hair and skin.

Summary

CD describes first observation of gyratory motion of tendrils: explains its adaptive function is to find objects to hold on to.

Summary

Thanks AG for references about phyllotaxy

and information on marriage laws.

Has been looking for dimorphism in Phlox and Euonymus.

Has observed the irritability of tendrils of Echinocystis with great interest. Was also struck by the rotating movements of the leading shoots, which he proposes to investigate.

Summary

Spoke to Rosas, and gave him CD’s paper.

Summary

Has caught a frog and examined its possibly rudimentary toe. Asks THH if he will dissect it.

Has heard THH is abused in Edinburgh Review and in Anthropological Review [reviews of Man’s place in nature, Edinburgh Rev. 117 (1863): 541–69 and Anthrop. Rev. 1 (1863): 107–17].

Owen on heterogeny and the aye-aye.

Has been very ill.

Summary

JDH and Oliver impressed with CD’s observations on gyratory motion of plants.

CD pleased with Bentham’s Linnean Society address on the reception of Darwinism [J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. 7 (1863): xi–xxix].

JDH’s social "dogma": "Brains x Beauty = Breeding + wealth".

[Dated 9 June by JDH.]

Summary

Progress of pigeon and poultry breeding experiments. No loss of fertility observed yet.

Blue-eyed cats and deafness.

Summary

CD thanks the sender of a Cypripedium. He finds its pollination contrivances interesting.