Summary

Encloses a sketch of the principal events in his life [for RH’s memoir on CD in Walford, ed., Portraits of men of eminence (1863–7)].

Summary

What progress has been made with pigeon drawings for Variation?

Can WBT persuade Mr Zurhorst to repeat a pigeon experiment?

Summary

Data on good and bad pollen-grain yields of different species. Sends sketches of two male Rhamnus catharticus flowers [see Forms of flowers, p. 294].

Summary

CD is pleased [about need for a new edition of Origin] but even more grieved – for it will delay his next book [Variation]. Progress of natural history will make many changes necessary in Origin. Nevertheless, proceeds with 32 more woodcuts for Variation.

Summary

Cannot support another edition of Origin, so unable to send English pages. Suggests some of his other works that might be worth translating into German.

Summary

Thanks for information on orchids

and facts on coastal flora and fauna.

Asks FM to look out for dimorphic aquatic and marsh plants.

Has read pamphlets "in our favour" by Carl v. Nägeli and Oscar Schmidt.

Summary

Gives CD genus and species names of the singular humming-bird; distressed by specific name made necessary by revised laws of nomenclature.

Summary

Answers JDH’s questions on connection of SE. England and continent,

on the effect of breaking the Isthmus of Panama,

and on Madeira flora as remnant of Tertiary flora.

Cautionary remarks for JDH on his "Insular floras" speech, designed to strengthen case of "occasional migration" theory.

Summary

Scarlet seed is Adenanthera pavonina. JDH’s suggestion on how disseminated.

On Herbert Spencer, "all oil no bone – a thinking pump", but his paper on sap and wood [Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 25 (1866): 405–30] is good science. His refusal to bring a specimen for analysis when confronted by JDH.

Bentham and Martin disagreement.

Speculations on New Zealand flora.

Albert Günther’s paper on fishes on each side of Isthmus of Panama [Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1866): 600–4].

On the quantity (bulk and weight) of organic life [matter].

Summary

Encloses letter from H. B. Geinitz, who declines to handle translation of new edition of Origin. Recommends Julius Victor Carus. Also suggests Gustav von Leonhard as translator for Origin.

Discusses translation of Variation.

Summary

Gives observations on orchid ovules ripening long after blooming.

Infertility with own pollen sometimes does and sometimes does not indicate dimorphism; gives observations on Ximenia, Eschscholtzia and Oncidium flexuosum.

Describes some striking seeds eaten by birds,

and some new dimorphic species.

Variation in Thillia.

Confirms CD’s suspicion that the lancet-fish [Amphioxus] lives in competition with invertebrates: it shares its habitat with a similar-looking Ophelia, which is quite unlike other annelids, just as the lancet-fish is unlike other fishes.

Summary

Reports on his health.

Discusses a surveying expedition under Richard Charles Mayne on which his son will be Second Lieutenant; hopes to arrange for them to excavate some bones in the Falklands.