Summary

Requests priced samples of paper for mounting dried plants.

Summary

Wishes to invest some money in railway shares; asks for the advice of the bank’s brokers.

Summary

Wants to invest some money, as Treasurer of the Down Friendly Society.

Summary

Discusses dimorphic plants, valerian and Erythraea. Would like to look at them; suggests WED draw up a paper on them.

Summary

Thanks for notes on Cypripedium and Platanthera hookeri, which is really beautiful and quite a new case.

His son, George, has been observing the insect fertilisation of orchids.

CD has been crossing peloric flowers of Pelargonium, but doubts he will get good results with respect to sterility of hybrids.

Rhexia glandulosa does not appear to be dimorphic. Lythrum is trimorphic.

Summary

Thinks GM’s Pelargonium is a case of true correlated characters. Feels secondary sexual characters are only accidental correlations; does not see the same necessity for close simultaneous development of certain characters as GM does.

Will forward a copy of his Orchids.

Summary

Can AdeQ verify the statement that the moths of the several races of the common silkworm are very similar?

When the female moth comes out of the cocoon, are her wings less developed than those of a male moth at the same stage?

Summary

Reports some observations on the fertilisation of wheat which WED might follow up.

Summary

CD has been experimenting on the fertility of peloric flowers, with the forlorn hope of illustrating sterility of hybrids; seeks further plants or seeds.

Summary

Lenny [Leonard Darwin]’s illness.

Polymorphism in valerian and Lythrum salicaria.

Summary

Leonard’s illness.

Polymorphism in valerian and Erythraea.

Summary

Sends additional notes.

Summary

Thanks for answers to CD’s questions; would appreciate any new information on similarity of moths of distinct races.

CD has been "atrociously abused by religious countrymen, but it does not hurt except when it comes from an old friend like Prof. Owen".

Wishes French translator of Origin had known more natural history.

Summary

Adaptations of orchid flowers. Believes the structure of all irregular flowers is adaptation to insect fertilisation.

Linum grandiflorum distinguishes its own pollen so that when placed on stigma of same flower the pollen-tube is not even exserted.

Summary

Is obliged for information concerning differences in the bees of Britain. Relates case of the Jamaican bees which were introduced long ago and have remained the same in size and character except that the diameter of the cells is larger, the wax tougher, and the walls of the hive thicker.

Summary

Thanks for Hildebrand’s offer to translate Orchids into German, but H. G. Bronn had finished his translation before his death (Bronn trans. 1862). Has not yet received Hildebrand’s work on the distribution of coniferous trees (Hildebrand 1861). Asks that his compliments be presented to L. C. Treviranus.

Summary

Confesses to having made a gross blunder with reference to the size of bee cells in West Indian combs [see 3658a].

Summary

AG’s orchid observations are admirable.

Owen has lectured on birds’ descending from one form.

French criticism of CD’s Primula paper.

Only AG has seen that Orchids was "a ""flank movement"" on the enemy".

Summary

CD grateful to have had the distinction of the two sorts of peloria pointed out to him.

His very sick son rallied; is out of danger, thanks to port wine.

Summary

Asa Gray has a self-fertilising Platanthera, like the bee orchid. CD believes problem of the latter will some day be explained. Speculates [Ophrys] arachnites may be crossing form and bee orchid self-fertilising form of the same species.

Cytisus adami is a puzzle.

Pleased if DO will review Orchids [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 2 (1862): 371–6] .

His review of Primula paper was capital. [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 2 (1862): 235–43].

Requests peloric plants.