Summary

Identifies flies sent to him by CD. [CD note states that these were found with orchid pollinia adhering to them.]

Summary

His son wants CD’s opinion about a cub supposed by Frank Buckland to be progeny of a lioness and mastiff.

Lyell working at last proofs [of Antiquity of man]; he is scornful of Owen.

Summary

Convinced length of stamens has no relation to powers of fertilisation in many plants.

Suggests experiments on Pelargonium and Phlox.

Advises about use of microscope.

Summary

Suggests collecting seeds at different heights from British Columbia.

Describes experiment on seeds from short anthers.

C. V. Naudin writes he has discovered cause of hybrid sterility.

Summary

Thanks for information about Pliocene mammal. Interested in relating process of formation to duration of the species. Oswald Heer’s view that species suddenly formed surely false.

Bad summer with much sickness. Going to Malvern [for water-cure] for a month.

Muddled over phyllotaxy and made out nothing.

Summary

Working on monstrous Primula. Is ovule anatropous as Asa Gray says, or amphitropous? Does he know natural path of pollen tubes in Primula. Can the tube enter the ovule by the chalaza?

Summary

Discusses hybrid strawberry–raspberry

and his research on Primula and Linum.

Suggests breeding experiments.

Doubtful about Donald Beaton’s statement about Pelargonium.

Mentions experiments on peloric flowers.

Summary

Baffling problems with Melastoma. Appreciates ARW’s help with it and the "gorze case".

Has read report of ARW’s paper [to Newcastle BAAS meeting, "On the geographical distribution of animal life"] in the Reader [2 (1863): 352–3].

Summary

Plants, safely arrived from Kew, fill new greenhouse.

Summary

CD sends thanks for information; will write about the fins.

His health is weak and he is "almost smothered" with facts and inquiries, so is trying to restrict the scope of his present work, on variation under domestication.

Summary

Impressed with TFJ’s Glen Roy paper.

TFJ has treated CD’s errors very gently.

Summary

Glad RF approves of book [Origin].

Impossible in many cases to conjecture how structures acquired.

Comments on degeneration of civilised man.

Summary

CD’s opinion of Lyell’s Antiquity of man and of Owen’s comment on it.

Disappointed Lyell has not spoken out on species and on man.

Pleasure of new hothouse and the plants JDH supplied for it.

Summary

Asks FB’s help in identifying an article in The Field about the fins of fishes growing again after being cut off, and inquiring whether he has heard of the re-growth of organs in the mammalia or birds.

Summary

British attitude towards America: not hate as Asa Gray thinks, but contempt.

Summary

Likes JDH’s review of Alphonse de Candolle [Mémoires et souvenirs de A. P. de Candolle (1862)].

Falconer’s article on Lyell ["Primitive man. What led to the question?", Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] too severe.

CD has written a letter to the Athenæum "to say, under the cloak of attacking Heterogeny, a word in my own defence" [Collected papers 2: 78–80].

Bates’s Travels [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)] are excellent.

Summary

Encloses a four-page printed pamphlet on the cruelty of steel traps [see Collected papers 2: 83–4].

Summary

Thanks AG for Cypripedium and Mitchella.

Plans to investigate pollination of Cypripedium.

Has finished Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].

Would welcome facts on "bud-variations".

Hears that Cinchona is dimorphic.

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 too unwell to answer JvH’s letter.

He was interested in the "marvellous ground parrot"

and the report on "naturalisation of animals in New Zealand".

Honoured by election to the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury.