Summary

Fox hopes to see CD in London in November.

Summary

Sorry to hear of CD’s poor health.

Is hard at work examining Ceratodus.

Encloses discussion of Mus species with functionally prehensile tails.

Encloses argument against freshwater fish entering the sea.

Summary

On Huxley’s article for Contemporary Review [see 7977] confuting Mivart. It has cheered him,

for he is very low about his mother’s state.

Is also in detestable position with "my lord and master", A. S. Ayrton. JDH has denounced him to the [First] Lord of the Treasury [W. E. Gladstone] for his conduct.

Summary

CD advises publishing a short version of Primitive culture [1871] for the general reader.

Would like to see EBT, but his health has been bad and conversation is extremely tiring.

Summary

Thanks AG for answer about Galaxias.

Asks him to mention questions about the ears of Mus to other naturalists.

Will send another copy of Chauncey Wright’s pamphlet [Darwinism (1871)].

AG has proved Ceratodus to be a "wonderfully interesting creature" ["Descripton of Ceratodus", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 161 (1871): 511–72].

Summary

Sorry to hear of JDH’s troubles;

pleased he thinks so highly of Huxley’s article [see 7977].

Huxley makes CD feel infantile in intellect (as JDH once said of himself). CD is not so good a Christian as JDH thinks, for he did enjoy his revenge on Mivart.

Summary

Anecdote about a gathering of kangaroos.

Summary

Thanks for Chauncey Wright’s article. Admits it is clever, but hardly expected CD to think it a serious defence of his position.

Summary

Hooker admires THH’s review of Mivart [see 7977]. Most impressed by THH’s handling of metaphysics.

Hooker’s problems: family health and A. S. Ayrton [Commissioner of Works].

Summary

Has finished seven chapters of revision of Origin [6th ed.] despite poor health. Asks JM’s opinion on a glossary of scientific terms. Encloses text for advertisement.

Summary

Asks CD’s opinion of his suggestion that a distinctive mark of species may be the duration of pregnancy, incubation, or germination.

Summary

Sends some articles on mammals [possibly "On the relations of the orders of mammals", Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 19 (1870): 267–70, and "On the characteristics of the primary groups of the class of mammals", ibid. 20 (1871): 284–306].

He is a disciple, convinced of CD’s theory of evolution and of natural selection.

In the U. S. almost all refuse to recognize natural selection.

Summary

Publisher would like to produce a translation of Expression. JVC offers to translate it.

Sends passage from Albertus Magnus on colour of horses.

Offers explanation of white colour of sea-birds.

Schweizerbart is now reprinting Descent, nearly all the first 3000 copies having been sold;

new editions of Origin

and of Variation are also planned.

Possibility of a new German translation of Journal of researches.

Summary

"I should expect that the period of gestation will differ very little in the individuals of the same species, as long as its conditions of life remained the same. But I doubt whether it is sure as an absolute criteria; for although little or nothing on this field can be known with respect to species in a state of nature, yet with races of the same species as with dogs and cattle, the period is known slightly to differ. In the generation of seeds from the same capsule there is often the most wonderful and inexplicable difference in the periods".

Summary

Does not know anything about a supra-condyloid process on the humerus, but would like to see RLT’s paper should he publish on the subject.

Summary

Glad to hear of new German edition of Origin. He is revising the English edition, adding a new chapter of "Answers".

No new edition of Descent has appeared.

Would be glad to see a new translation of the Journal of researches, which he revised in 1845.

Comments on white colour of sea-birds.

Summary

Asks whether THH has written on affinities of Eocene cetacean Zeuglodon. Wants to cite it in 6th ed. of Origin as in some slight degree an intermediate form, but does not know how far he may venture.

Has had more evidence of profound impression of Mivart’s book [Genesis of species].

Summary

Will give printer orders to set up first six chapters of Origin [6th ed.]. Murray thinks a glossary [of scientific terms] might be advisable, if not longer than ten pages. Will offer W. S. Dallas £10 for it.

Summary

Is preparing a work on fertilisation of flowers, and wants to add a list of works containing observations on cross-fertilisation of plants. Asks CD for any references he may have.

Summary

Is preparing paper on breeding ["Breeding facts and principles", J. Farmers’ Club (1871): 45–53]. Seeks CD’s advice and assistance. Believes male parent influences external appearance and female the internal organisation.