Summary

His satisfaction at CD’s acceptance of book as well as total public acceptance. Murray has given him a £250 advance. His pleasure at Asa Gray’s words.

Next task will be to write on origin [of species] by segregation of local races.

Summary

HWB’s concern over CD’s poor health.

Gives accounts of reviews of his book in the Times and in the Revue des Deux-Mondes by E.-D. Forgues ["Un naturaliste sous l’équateur", Rev. Deux-Mondes 46 (1863): 703–37].

Thanks CD for the A. Gray review of his paper [see 4022].

Reports his current work is a monograph on Mantidae.

Summary

Returns Gray’s review [of paper on mimetic analogy, Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 285–90]

and expresses his sorrow over CD’s health.

Summary

Pleased at receiving CD’s letter.

HWB informs him of favourable notice of the mimetic paper [in Wiegmann’s Arch. Naturgesch. 29 (1863) pt 2: 315–19].

He is pleased with his post [Asst. Sec. of Royal Geographical Society].

Summary

Expresses pleasure at signs of CD’s recovery.

HWB’s work on the identification of species of the genus Colobthea; relates the large number of modifications that occur in the sexual organs of closely allied species. Does not doubt that this contributes greatly to multiplication of species in nature.

Summary

He encloses a portrait and asks for one of CD.

He has sent mimetic paper to B. D. Walsh.

Mentions work at Royal Geographical Society on N. Pole business [plans for an Arctic expedition, eventually postponed until 1875–6].

Summary

HWB sends a copy [missing] of Boutakoff’s letter, explaining that the deer were saiga antelopes and the islands were new discoveries.

Summary

Sexual ornamentation of insects: coloration of Epicalia genus [of tropical S. American butterflies];

horned genera of lamellicorn beetles [see Descent 1: 370, 388].

Wallace brought CD’s question about gay-coloured caterpillars before the Entomological Society. Members now seeking explanations.

Summary

Working on sexual differences in collection of horned beetles and will send CD results.

Answers CD’s questions [sent on behalf of Miss Tollet of Betley Hall, Staffs.] on mimicry – how it helps prevent extinction, the modifications occurring with a change of habitat until mimicry occurred.

Also gives some cases of sexual differences.

Summary

Has put question of proportion of sexes in insects to the Entomological Society. Quotes H. T. Stainton and F. Smith. Cites some cases mentioned by other members.

Is reading Variation; does not quite understand Pangenesis.

Summary

Comments on J. O. Westwood’s entomological nomenclature.

Discusses the organs for stridulation in Orthoptera [see Descent 1: 352ff].

Summary

Finds no absolute differences in size of sexes of Copridae. Gives several other genera in which males are larger than females.

Confirms his view of stridulation organ of house cricket. [see Descent 1: 354–5.]

Tells CD of a powerful convert to Darwinism: H. von Kiesenwetter of Berlin.

Summary

Results of his examination of divergence in sexual coloration of tropical American butterflies. [See Descent 1: 389 on Junonia and Papilio.]

Summary

In addition to the drawing of a caterpillar which CD intends to use,

HWB sends information on differences of colour and pattern between the sexes of species of Papilio.

Argynnis diana and A. sagana have females that are brightly coloured, but these may be cases of protective mimicry.

Summary

HWB thinks he can buy specimens of male and female insects at Mr Janson’s.

Summary

He has been occupied with Royal Geographical Society anniversary meeting, but did go to Janson and selected various specimens for CD, some of which have remarkable stridulating organs.

The habits of Lethrus are found in Kirby and Spence’s Introduction [to entomology, 7th ed. (1856)].

Summary

Because of work on the first number of the new Royal Geographical Society magazine, a manual of geography, and other things, HWB finds he must decline CD’s invitation.

Summary

Informs CD of K. G. Semper’s desire to meet him and to discuss new information on volcanic phenomena, geographical distribution, etc.

Summary

Ashamed that members of the Entomological Society have almost no information on sex ratio of bred insects in response to CD’s query of months ago. One exception, William Buckler, promises results. [See Descent 1: 313.]

Summary

Returns CD’s MS [of entomological section of Descent] marked with suggested alterations.

Suggests qualifications about rudimentary horn in female Onitis furcifer [See Descent 1: 372].

Sends additional data on colour differences in sexes of longicorn Coleoptera [See Descent 1: 367–8].

Suggests a modification of CD’s view of female coloration that would bring him "nearly into harmony" with Wallace.