Summary

Has ordered James Clerk Maxwell’s book [On the stability of the motion of Saturn’s rings (1859)] as a present for Sofya Kovalevsky.

Summary

On obtaining Clerk Maxwell’s memoir on Saturn for his wife, Sofya.

Summary

Gives title, Stability of the motion of Saturn’s rings, Macmillan, 1859.

M. Hern[?], of thermodynamics fame, has recently published a memoir.

Summary

Wishes CD could publish Origin with footnotes.

Increases in bird populations: starlings are increasing, but AN cannot give reason; mistletoe-thrush increasing but not ousting song-thrush. Doubts trustworthiness of [George?] Edwards, CD’s authority in Origin on this matter [see Origin, 6th ed., p. 59].

AN opposed to bird protection legislation to prohibit egging. Argues egging does not decrease number of birds.

Summary

Thanks JVC for a correction to 2d English edition of Descent, which is now finished. 1350 copies were sold at Murray’s sale.

Summary

Looks forward to a visit from JVC and family in August.

Sheets of vol. 1 of Descent [2d ed.] are going to printer;

new edition of Coral reefs is half printed.

Summary

Will soon send remaining sheets [of Descent, 2d English ed.]. Fears JVC’s errata have come too late for printing.

His new work [Insectivorous plants] will make a rather big book.

Summary

On the extinction of populations. [See Descent, 2d ed., p. 183.]

Summary

Is glad to hear of new German edition of Descent, but owing to his extensive revisions, corrected sheets will not be ready for about three months.

Is working on a new edition of Coral reefs, which he thinks would sell in Germany.

Would like to hear "out of curiosity & vanity" how many copies of his books have been sold in Germany.

Summary

Descent [2d English ed.] will not be published until November. Will send JVC first sheet of revised proofs soon.

Pleased to hear of success of JVC’s lectures.

Summer plans have changed. Does not yet know when he will take a month’s holiday.

Summary

Asks JVC if he can provide introductions in Leipzig and Dresden for his son George.

Has not yet received any revised sheets of Descent [2d English ed.].

Summary

Russian Expression has sold nearly 2000 copies.

Plans to come to England to study collections of vertebrate fossils from the Chalk. This will complement his work in the south of France.

Summary

Advises JVC on how his publisher might deal with problem of getting satisfactory heliotype copies for 2d [German] edition of Expression.

Regrets that he will again be away in August, when JVC might have come for a visit.

Summary

Would be glad to hear of a collected edition of his works [in Germany], but has no opinion on how it would sell. Has been surprised to learn that in England some think uniform collected works sell best. Tells JVC his publication plans and other details to guide him on extent of a "collected works".

Descent corrections have been laborious and troublesome.

Summary

Sends CD the number of Pitcairn islanders transferred to Norfolk Island cited in her deceased husband’s book [Sir William Thomas Denison, Varieties of a vice-regal life (1870)] but is unable to furnish additional information.

Summary

Comments on several points in Descent,

doubts facts about Monacanthus brushes

and the two Cyprinidae males attending the female when spawning.

Summary

Describes his observations on Utricularia montana.

Summary

Information about various species of Utricularia.

Summary

Writes about AHF’s book on Swiss ants.

Recounts his own observations on ants carrying cocoons.

Summary

Sends paper ["Strictures on Darwinism, pt 2", J. Anthropol. Inst. 3 (1874): 208–28].

Refers to articles in the Art Journal on changes in English countenance since the Tudor period.