Summary

Regrets he cannot visit JDH.

Has been talking with Lyell about coal, which he finds utterly perplexing.

Is delighted with the generalisations in latest numbers of Flora Antarctica.

Summary

Queries on ratios of species to genera on southern islands. CD’s observations on distribution of Galapagos organisms, and on S. American fossils, and facts he has gathered since, lead him to conclusion that species are not immutable; "it is like confessing a murder".

Summary

Has been too busy to write. Is leaving for Switzerland that evening.

A friend, who ran away from home as a boy, has two sons who have done the same several times. Is the case worth investigating for CD?

Summary

JDH’s condolences at Amy Darwin’s death.

Summary

Alexander Beatson mentions a bird in considerable numbers on St Helena which appears to contradict CD’s statement in Journal of researches that only introduced land birds exist there.

The Azores flora and fauna tell heavily against Atlantis joining them with America and against transoceanic migration from America.

Summary

Thanks for use of CD’s collection.

Comments and queries on the botany of the Southern Hemisphere.

Looks forward to seeing CD’s Galapagos plants.

Summary

JDH busy reforming Kew’s operations.

Falconer may "fall foul" of Huxley’s anger over his attacks on Lyell.

Has heard of a coffee plantation post for Scott.

Summary

Busy correcting proofs. Thanks for JDH’s remarks; asks him to send any other corrections soon; goes to press with second part of Journal of researches in less than a week.

Urges collections of all kinds on any isolated islands.

Summary

Reforms at Kew.

X Club Dinner. H. B. Wilson and J. W. Colenso as guests.

Troubled by Lubbock’s going into Parliament – loss to science.

Has written to Busk.

Sending Botanische Zeitung.

Summary

On FitzRoy’s suicide.

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

Summary

CD defends his view of land birds on St Helena.

Explains why he would not expect American plants on the Azores.

It makes him miserable that he and JDH look at everything so differently.

Summary

Is relieved his book [Himalayan journals] has been well received and glad he has successfully completed it.

Summary

T. V. Wollaston’s financial misfortunes.

CD’s son George’s success [at Cambridge].

Summary

Goes on the assumption that each species has one origin, is immutable, and migrates.

Disagrees with Gaudichaud[-Beaupré] that volcanic island species are polymorphous.

Some mundane genera vary, others do not (Senecio vs Gnaphalium).

John Lindley’s doctrine of longevity of trees is amazing.

Edward Forbes’s health is better.

Summary

Encloses Ehrenberg letter, Galapagos seaweed, and specimens of Conferva.

H. Denny would like specimens of Antarctic Pediculi.

Summary

JDH on John Scott.

Curious about the rationale of pollen prepotence.

Working on variation in New Zealand flora.

Summary

More praise for Himalayan journals.

How remote was glacial action in Himalayas?

Implies Himalayas were birthplace of many plants.

Final volume of Cirripedia to be printed in two or three months.

Summary

Lyell, de facto, first to stress importance of geological changes for geographical distribution.

Asa Gray has given CD too much credit for theories of geographical distribution.

Reaction to hostile criticism

and debt to Lyell, Huxley, JDH, and W. B. Carpenter.

Summary

Has found incipient stages of adhesive discs in Hanburia tendrils.

Huxley was probably right to have challenged Sabine, but the poor old man is sick.

CD remembers the old Disraeli novel [Tancred (1847)] that sneers at transmutation.

Summary

JDH again expresses his condolences.

The Glasgow BAAS meeting was good, except for Tait’s shameful attack on Tyndall.

Immensely impressed on Scottish geological and glacial features. Is CD aware that the earth beneath Glen Roy roads was found to contain freshwater diatoms?

Recounts the itinerary of his honeymoon in Scotland.