Summary

JL’s review of Huxley ["Lectures to working men", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 4 (1864)].

Summary

CD very ill.

Suspects F. Boott’s widow is illegitimate granddaughter of Erasmus Darwin.

CD, like JDH, has speculated that agrarian weeds have become adapted to cultivated ground. Suggests comparison with country of origin.

Wallace’s praise of Herbert Spencer’s Social statics baffles CD.

[Letter completed by E. A. Darwin.]

Summary

CD’s illness.

The difficulty of getting John Scott to publish his work. Has sent Scott’s paper [on Primulaceae] to Linnean Society. CD is sure it is valuable.

Summary

CD is considering repeating experiments on melastomads in which different pollen sizes produced differing seedling sizes.

Responds to JDH’s query on differences in pollen within the same species.

Summary

W. H. Harvey’s dandelion case worth publishing.

Suspects the uniform Primula elatior JDH referred to is a distinct species.

Scott’s paper on Passiflora shows variability of reproductive systems.

Summary

CD’s pleasure at JDH’s willingness to help Scott find a position in India.

Naudin underrates contamination of his experiments by insects. Thus CD doubts Naudin’s results on rapidity and universality of reversion in hybrids.

Wallace’s paper on man [see 4494] reflects his genius, although CD does not fully agree with it.

Summary

Lyell’s position on mutability.

Fertilisation of trees by bees.

Summary

JS’s facts on Primula are new to CD.

In Linum CD has also found dimorphic and non-dimorphic species.

Plans to publish next autumn on successive homomorphic generations in Primula.

"Fluctuating forms" due to culture.

Urges JS to publish.

Lobelia functionally monoecious.

Where did JS publish on Clivia hybrids? Did he count parent and cross seeds, as Gärtner shows is necessary?

CD has done large experiments on artificially fertilised cowslips. They never resemble oxlips.

Would welcome detailed criticism of natural selection by a careful observer like JS. Most criticism worthless. Expects a great deal from Lyell’s reaction.

Suggests JS do orchid experiment to see if rostellum can be penetrated by pollen.

Summary

Is working one hour a day now, on illegitimate seedlings of Lythrum and Primula.

Begins to doubt John Scott’s accuracy about primrose and cowslip.

Does JDH believe in Karsten’s denial of parthenogenesis of Coelebogyne?

Summary

JDH’s visit stimulates CD’s interest in his own work. Encloses list of queries on climbing plants. [Missing]

Summary

His admiration for HF’s paper on American fossil elephant.

Notes "temporary irruption of S. American forms into N. America".

Rejoices that HF has "smashed" case of Mastodon on Timor.

Shares HF’s anger at Owen.

He is eager to hear about fossil bird [Archaeopteryx].

Comments on criticisms of species theory by [Johann Andreas?] Wagner.

Describes research on fertilisation of Melastomataceae.

Summary

CD thinks JDH takes a hard view of Scott’s character, but will not argue further.

Leersia.

Working on homomorphic and heteromorphic crosses in Primula.

Summary

Has finished Climbing plants;

resuming work on Variation.

Sends abstract of John Scott’s paper [see 4332].

Has received review of Herbert Spencer but cannot believe AG wrote it unless he has muddled his brains with metaphysics.