Summary

Will get name of grass [see 6243] from Gen. William Munro.

Has heard from Charles Wheatstone that CD has Prussian Order of Merit. Rejoices because it is the only distinction worth a fig.

Went to Handel festival; heard Messiah.

Went to poor old N. B. Ward’s funeral.

Summary

George Rolleston’s son was born with a scar on his knee exactly where GR cut himself with a knife years before his marriage. Gives several other examples of inherited mutilation.

Summary

Discusses possible English translation of A. E. Brehm’s [Illustrirtes] Thierleben [1864–9].

Asks for permission to use 15 of Brehm’s illustrations [in Descent].

Summary

Comments favourably, though often differing, on articles by G. H. Lewes.

Discusses claim of Agassiz [in A journey in Brazil (1868)] that he found evidence of glaciers in Brazil. Suggests sponsoring an expedition to test these claims.

Summary

Thanks HWB for answering questions.

The MS on Lepidoptera is almost finished and he is glad HWB will read it; he is fearful of mistakes, not being familiar with the subject.

Summary

Observations on lateral spots on coats of two specimens of deer. PS on habits of wild and domestic turkeys.

Summary

Variations in the ocelli of Lepidoptera.

Encloses six pages from his catalogue of S. African butterflies [Rhopalocera Africae australis, 2 pts (1862, 1866)].

Summary

JDH too severe on Duke of Argyll.

Pities JDH on [BAAS] address [see 6099]; Huxley feels JDH will do well and will not pity him.

Thinks Huxley will give an excellent and original lecture on geographical distribution of birds.

Has been working hard on sexual selection and correspondence about it.

Mignonette is sterile with its own pollen but any two distinct plants are fertile together. It is utterly mysterious and not even Pangenesis will explain it.

On Lyell’s book [Principles, 10th ed.].

Wallace’s wonderful cleverness, but he is not cautious enough. CD differs from Wallace on birds’ nests and protection.

A. Murray’s miserable criticism of Wallace [J. Travel & Nat. Hist. 1 (1868): 137–45].

Summary

"Though next Spring will be rather late, I do not think it will be too late, & if in your power to send me some living specimens of Trox sabulosus, I shd. be greatly indebted to you.––-"

Summary

Appreciates MJB’s address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): 83–7]. Has had great respect for MJB’s knowledge since his undergraduate days at Cambridge.

Agrees that Pangenesis gemmules probably do not develop into free cells, but penetrate other cells in a manner analogous to fertilisation, and modify their development.

Summary

Offers deerhound puppy.

Asks for photograph.

Encloses letter from George Cupples of notes, with excerpts from letters from Peter Robertson and John Wright, relating to difference in size between male and female deerhounds. Reports on weight statistics of ten [deerhound] puppies being observed.

Summary

Offers notes and reflections on Variation.

Not convinced by Pangenesis, particularly its dependence on the Cytisus [graft hybrid] examples [ch. 27 and ch. 11].

What a book could be written on the application of natural history to man! Gives examples of inheritance in man.

Summary

Amazed that Hugo von Mohl and E. M. Fries are not foreign members of Royal Society; Thomson going over the whole matter.

Candolle’s contribution to botany.

Lubbock shocked about Wollaston.

CD’s answer to Greg was capital.

Comments on Variation.

Charles Murchison’s work on Falconer’s Memoirs [Palaeontological memoirs and notes of the late Hugh Falconer (1868)] and JDH on Falconer.