Summary

Inquires which nurserymen near Edinburgh cultivate coloured primroses and cowslips. Wants to repeat John Scott’s remarkable experiments.

Summary

Cannot give information about the box of Oxalis bulbs that his brother [Roland Trimen] has forwarded to CD.

Summary

Would be delighted to see FB for a few minutes but his health is so poor he doubts it would be worth the trouble for FB to visit.

Thanks about the otter-hound.

Summary

Forwards a communication from A. Fonblanque for possible publication in Natural History Review. [See "Notice of mule breeding", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 5 (1865): 147–8.]

Summary

CD has been so ill they must discourage visit by WDF. Recovering slowly with new treatment.

Summary

Rejoices that CD is beginning "the book of books", Variation.

Suggests that changes in colour of pollen, stigma, and corolla, as Scott reports in his Primula paper, may be related to changes in the insects required for pollination.

Supports Gärtner translation by Ray Society.

Comments on recent addresses by Lyell [Rep. BAAS 34 (1864): lx–lxxv], Bentham [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. 8 (1864): ix–xxiii], and Murchison [Rep. BAAS 34 (1864): 130–6].

Summary

Encloses MS of his paper ["On individual sterility of Oncidium", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 162–7].

His next will be on Passiflora, Disemma, and Tacsonia [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 197–206].

When he receives proofs of his Primula paper he will add CD’s case about equal-styled cowslip.

Summary

Pleased that Bentham is cautious about Naudin’s view of reversion. CD can show experimentally that crossing of races and species tends to bring back ancient characters.

Suggests Gärtner’s Bastarderzeugung [1849] be translated

and that Oliver review Scott’s Primula paper [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 78–126] for a future issue of Natural History Review.

Is working on Variation.

Summary

Salmon and trout increase in size with river.

Wishes to show CD fish hatchery near Hampton Court.

Quoted CD’s book on self-destruction within species in a salmon arbitration case.

Summary

No book has made such a powerful impression on EH as the Origin. Most older German scholars opposed to it, but number of supporters growing among the young. Fortunately strength of religious dogmas now small among educated Germans. Situation in Jena especially favourable. Defended CD’s theory last year at Congress of German Scientists in Stettin.

Intends special study of jellyfish.

Plans general work on natural history.

Hard fate [death of Anna Sethe Haeckel] has made EH indifferent to criticism.

Colleagues August Schleicher and Carl Gegenbaur also convinced by CD’s theory.

Summary

Asks for names of plants mentioned in an article in Natural History Review ["South European Floras", n.s. 4 (1864): 369–84] so he can get seeds.

Also would like specimens of the two forms of Aegiphila.

Summary

Asks for comparison of otter-hounds’ feet with those of other dogs.

Changes in oysters.

Summary

Asks TCE to verify whether otter-hounds have more skin between their toes than other hounds. Also interested in cases of infertile matings between normally fertile individuals.

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

JDH suggests Scott go to India; he will write letters of introduction.

Conversation with Herbert Spencer.

George Bentham would like to know how CD’s view of hybridism diverges from Charles Naudin’s.

Summary

Another plea to take Scott on at Kew. Emma begs CD not to employ him at Down.

Has just received a long article on the Origin from D. J. Brown, an Edinburgh baker [see 4464].

Summary

CD apologises for having asked JDH to help him with Scott and now seeks advice on how to break the news.

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

Proposes to work on geographical distribution before leaving the Society.

Summary

Oxalis plants have arrived safely [see 4347].

CD regrets his mistake about Disa; will correct it.

Thanks RT for his additional facts about Disa.

Is recovering slowly from ten months’ illness.

Asks whether Strelitzia reginae grows in gardens at the Cape. Suspects it must be fertilised by a bird.