Summary

Has heard nothing about the Copley Medal. Is grateful for Hugh Falconer’s interest [see 4546].

Supplies details about circumstances of his voyage on the Beagle.

Does not believe that his sea-sickness was the cause of his subsequent ill-health.

Encloses the requested list of publications [see 4550].

Summary

Thanks Balfour for Corydalis seed

and sends a photo of himself.

Summary

Tells of a declaration and a subscription list to defend the rights of Bishop Colenso.

Summary

To Lyell’s chagrin, CD has come round again to A. C. Ramsay’s glacial theory.

On primrose and cowslip, CD maintains they are good species, notwithstanding Scott’s work.

CD defines species by power of remaining constant for a good long time and showing appreciable amount of difference from close species.

Summary

Discusses WED’s observations on polymorphic flowers.

Summary

Reports on personalities at the Bath meeting of BAAS [Sept 1864].

Summary

Would like his fowl skulls back.

Breeding experiments seem to show mongrels are just as fertile as pure breeds.

Summary

Requests addresses of J. E. Planchon, W. F. Hofmeister and M. J. Schleiden so he can send them copies of Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Summary

Thanks WED for measuring cowslip pollen. Sends dimorphic flowers.

Summary

Recounts row at the Royal Society over exclusion of mention of Origin from Sabine’s address awarding Copley Medal to CD.

Encloses two letters to JDH from James Hector in New Zealand.

Summary

Has drawn all three forms of primroses CD sent "with same result". Has found no pink variety with middle style.

Summary

John Scott’s paper [see 4332] read at Linnean Society; praised by George Bentham.

Himalayan pine in Macedonia.

JDH is in a quarrel with H. C. Watson.

Summary

Congratulates CD on the Copley Medal.

Directs CD to his short memoir on crossing ["De l’hybridité", C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. 59 (1864): 837–45].

Summary

Surprised at CD’s account of Bryanthus.

H. Crüger’s approach to Gongora fertilisation is beset with difficulties.

Reports his work on self-sterility of Oncidium.

Summary

Is slowly writing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Thanks for [Charles?] Wright’s observations on orchids

– could he note what attracts insects to Begonia and Melastoma? H. Crüger, who was going to observe Melastomataceae, has died.

Describes the climbing habits of Bignonia capreolata and Eccremocarpus scaber.

How does AG know the perfect flowers of Voandzeia are quite sterile?

He has a case of dimorphism in holly; asks AG to report on American hollies.

Summary

His pleasure at Royal Society Copley Medal for CD. Recounts meeting of Royal Society Council.

Summary

Would like to meet CD.

He is writing a piece on the Schleswig-Holstein affair which will expose the British press.

Summary

Sends Hermann Crüger’s paper ["A few notes on the fecundation of orchids and their morphology", J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 127–35] for publication.

"Boasts" of confirmation that sexes are separate in Catasetum.

Summary

Reception of Scott’s paper.

Difficulty of writing Boott’s obituary.

Critical of Edward Frankland’s glacial theory.

Falconer’s and Ramsay’s views on Himalayan lakes lack support of basic evidence.

Taxonomic distribution of climbing plants.

Huxley picks quarrels with minor figures and thus magnifies them.

Summary

CD has told Scott not to hope for help from JDH.

Health improving.

Hopes to write Lythrum paper soon.