Summary

The vaunted fidelity of the ark bird has its exceptions.

Gives some details on wild pigeons.

Answers in the affirmative CD’s query about drifted trees.

Summary

On novels he has been reading: Eliot, Richardson, etc.

On Wallace, the Reader, and anthropology.

Summary

Studying moraines.

On Lubbock’s book [see 4860], and Lyell’s apology. Recapitulates whole affair.

W. E. H. Lecky [Rise of rationalism in Europe (1865)] and other reading.

Spencer’s observations are wrong on umbellifers, his reasoning partially right.

Natural History Review is all but defunct.

Summary

On his reading: George Eliot,

T. F. Jamieson on Scottish glaciation.

Glad Lyell–Lubbock affair is over.

His grief over loss of father and child.

Summary

Information concerning improvements in the Reader under new sponsorship.

Current reading and work [on pigeons for Ibis 1 (1865): 365–400, and catalogue of his collection of birds].

Book of travels postponed indefinitely.

Summary

JDH on the Lyell–Lubbock plagiarism controversy. His view of the true cause of Lubbock’s behaviour.

Summary

Acknowledges CD’s paper on "Climbing plants".

Mentions Asa Gray’s complimentary notice in Silliman’s Journal [Am. J. Sci. and Arts 2d ser. 40 (1865): 273–82].

His difficulty in understanding how males of Daphnia or any other genus can produce eggs. If there is no impregnation, how can there be sexual organs? Why call one form male and another female?

He has sent CD his paper on "the new Potato Bug".

Will soon send "On Phytophagi Species & Unity of Coloration". [phytophagic!?]

Complaints about practices of the English Post Office.

His current research and description of the rationale of his experiments.

Summary

Impressed by Tylor’s book [see 4836].

Encloses admirable note from Huxley on Lyell–Lubbock affair.

Summary

W. J. Hooker is unwell.

Bentham wrote on Planchon ["The ancient and modern floras of Montpellier", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1865): 202–25],

T. Thomson on subspecies ["Species and subspecies", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1865): 226–42]

and Greene of York on ["The Linnean Society’s transactions", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1865): 189–202].

JDH did the leader in Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1865): 267–8, 291–2].

Delighted with CD’s calm opinion of Origin. Has same view of some of his own papers.

Summary

Will forward Robert Caspary’s paper to CD when it is published ["Sur les hybrides obtenus par la greffe", Bull. Congr. Int. Bot. & Hortic. Amsterdam (1865): 65–80].

MTM is to become editor of Gardeners’ Chronicle.

Summary

All overworked at Kew.

Burchell collections enormous.

Lyell has sent MS of Principles p. 111 on changes of temperature. JDH thinks Lyell blunders and is out of his depth.

Charmed with E. B. Tylor’s book on man [Early history of mankind (1865)],

disappointed in Lubbock’s [Prehistoric times (1865)].

Summary

Sends Catalogue [of the collection of fossils in the Museum of Practical Geology (1865)], most of which was written in pre-Darwinian epoch [i.e., 1857].

Hears magnum opus [Variation] completely developed, though not yet born.

Summary

J. D. Hooker is recovering from his ill health.

Summary

No one believes in Karsten.

Surprised by CD’s observations that illegitimate crosses within a species produce hybrid-like offspring.

JDH’s scepticism of Scott’s observations.

On proposing James Hector vs Julius von Haast for Royal Society; on learned society honours.

Summary

Reports Lincoln’s murder.

The end of Civil War is in sight.

Must look at dimorphism in Plantago.

Summary

On FitzRoy’s suicide.

The Lyell–Ramsay disagreement [on formation of lakes?].

Summary

Sends copies of the Field containing all the pigeon articles [see 4785].

Luke Wells will undertake engravings for Variation.

Summary

Kew affairs.

H. J. Carter’s observations are wonderful but want verification.

Skeptical of H. H. Travers’ observations.

Summary

Comments on CD’s Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31]

and on H. Crüger’s orchid paper [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 127–35].

May take position at Calcutta Botanic Garden.

Regrets he cannot be elected to Linnean Society.

Pleased Asa Gray has commented on JS’s paper.

Summary

Discusses "Climbing plants" and his own abstract of it.

CD should publish results of self-fertilising dimorphic plants.