Summary

Declines invitation to dine at Downing College because of influenza.

Summary

Reports on the insect specimens [collected by CD] from Australia, New Zealand, and Tierra del Fuego. Has not completed descriptions.

Summary

Interested in Lyell’s address [Proc. Geol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1833–8): 479–523]. Asks what the points are on which CD and Lyell are fully agreed.

Inquires about the paper FitzRoy and CD wrote on missionaries ["Moral state of Tahiti" (1836), Collected papers 1: 19–38].

News of family.

Summary

Father says he sowed broom plants soon after house was built in 1798; these never came up. In 1835 the terrace was made; thereafter the broom sprang up.

Advice on a medicine CD is taking.

Summary

Proof-reading arrangements for Journal of researches. CD’s difficulty in writing correctly.

Summary

Their Lordships communicate their entire approval of the proposal in CD’s letter of 20 September 1837. [See 378a.]

Summary

Morning Herald had an account of CD’s 80 specimens of Mammalia and 450 birds at the Zoological Society.

John Gould has described new species in CD’s Galapagos birds.

Much interest in CD’s "Laurels".

Family news.

Summary

Would have had great pleasure in accepting CB’s invitation, "whether for beauty or for shells", but has another engagement.

Summary

At Lyell’s request sends his copy of Whewell’s History of inductive sciences [1837] to CB.

Summary

Asks to withdraw abstract of his paper on coral formations ["Elevation and subsidence in the Pacific" (1838), Collected papers 1: 46–9].

Summary

Sends an abstract made by J. F. Royle of CD’s paper ["On certain areas of elevation and subsidence in the Pacific and Indian Oceans"]. G. B. Greenough will have problems with the altered references in the coral island section.

Summary

Fragment glued to CD’s notes on rock specimens. The recto refers to one of CD’s specimens, the verso mentions his Keeling Island plants.

Summary

Asks WS to write to his friend to make his corrections [in CD’s MS of Journal of researches] in ink.

Capt. FitzRoy agrees with the propriety of beginning to print [CD’s volume separately] at once.

Summary

Dissected beak of Rhynchops shows no extensive innervation. But beak may nevertheless be a sensitive organ of touch as CD suggests.

Summary

Regrets he cannot come to music meeting in Birmingham because he is very busy with the proofs of his book [Journal of researches]. A waste of life to spend a summer in ugly Marlborough Street.

Summary

Has returned from the country, and will superintend the revises [of Journal and remarks].

Can Mr Whiting send slips more often?

Summary

RF declines to give an opinion on the wording of the preface to CD’s volume [Journal and remarks, vol. 3 of Narrative, published separately as Journal of researches] and refers him to a disinterested third party.

Summary

Sends perfect revise of "Toxodon" [Fossil Mammalia] which he has read and marked.

Summary

"I could think of nothing for days after your lesson on coral reefs, but of the top of submerged continents. It is all true, but do not flatter youself that you will be believed, till you are growing bald, like me, with hard work & vexation at the incredulity in the world."

Summary

CD sorry RO is not well and fears work on Macrauchenia may have contributed. Thinks new name very good. Other details concerning publication [of Zoology, pt 1, no. 1].