Summary

Observations on orchid self-sterility.

Wants information on characters that may have originated through sexual selection in lower animals.

Encloses queries on expression.

Summary

Distribution of plants.

Removal of posterior molars a common dental practice in America [see Descent 1: 27].

Summary

Glad to hear Wallace is contender for Gold Medal. Has highest esteem for his extraordinary talents.

Thanks for H. Barkly’s letter from Mauritius.

Glad to see HB takes same view as CD about bones of deer [see 5395].

Objections to continental extension theory.

Progress [on Variation] very slow.

Summary

Discusses the orchid specimens received from MTM. Remarks on the self-sterility of Cypripedium and other orchids.

Summary

Returns R. G. Haliburton’s paper ["The unity of the human race proved by the universality of certain superstitions connected with sneezing", reprinted in New materials for the history of man (1863)] and sends one of his own partly in answer to it ["The early condition of man", Anthropol. Rev. 6 (1868): 1–14].

Capital BAAS meeting at Dundee.

Summary

Obliged for case of grafted ash.

Asks about pods of Arabis.

Would like to borrow Maillet [Telliamed (1750)].

Summary

Discusses his previous criticisms of EH’s Generelle Morphologie. Fears it will make enemies.

Discusses reception of descent theory in England.

Mentions EH’s trip to Canary Islands.

Summary

Asks to be kept informed on gaudy caterpillars.

Problems of his work on man; scope and role of sexual selection.

Indulgence of interest in expression is simply a "hobby-horse". Will see whether he can get queries inserted in an Indian newspaper.

Summary

Thanks BJS for W. H. Stirling’s answers [to queries about expression]

and for information on cattle and breeding of dogs.

Summary

English edition of Variation delayed by the index, ES may publish German edition at the end of December. Asks that Carl Gegenbaur be substituted for Haeckel on list of presentation copies of German edition, Haeckel will receive copy of English edition.

Summary

CD’s letter [3992] gave him encouragement in his work [on monstrosities], which, he regrets, is little understood or appreciated in France. Hopes to be able to produce anomalies at will as a result of his experiments. Sends a recent paper ["Rapport sur un veau monstrueux", Arch. Com. Agric. Arrondissement Lille (1867)].

Summary

Thanks for information on sexual differences.

Orchids; self-sterility and difficulty of getting seeds to germinate.

Dimorphism.

Summary

Observations on Ophrys plants and Thymus vulgaris. Encloses sketch of different forms of T. vulgaris [see Forms of flowers, p. 302].

Summary

Forwards answers from Charles Walter to some of CD’s queries about expression.

Summary

Discusses the reception of CD’s views at Cambridge and elsewhere.

Variation delayed by the index, but will appear at the end of the year.

Summary

Expresses his support for new books being sold with the pages cut.

Summary

Chapter 12 [of Variation] finished;

too late to include information on six-fingered men. Plans for book on man [Descent].

Mentions coral reefs of Tahiti.

Discusses volcanic islands; volcanoes of the Cordillera.

Summary

Made aware by Asa Gray of error with respect to Cypripedium. Does not doubt it is self-fertilised.

Summary

Will not be inclined to challenge Pangenesis.

Admits CD’s victory over JDH’s continental hypothesis (but will not give up Greenland).

Relation of variation to circumstances is shown by discovery of endemic St Helena umbellifer having same palm-like habit as an endemic Madeiran species.

Has completed Boott’s Carices [Illustrations of the genus Carex, pt 4 (1867)],

is printing W. H. Harvey’s work [Genera of South African plants, 2d ed. (1868)],

and is revising English edition of Alphonse de Candolle’s Laws of botanical nomenclature [trans. H. A. Weddell (1868)].

Arrangements at Kew. Gardener [John Smith] is very ill; Oliver reigns supreme in the Herbarium.

Summary

Thanks for facts on orchids.

Friedrich Hildebrand’s new book on fertilisation of plants [Die Geschlechten-Vertheilung bei den Pflanzen (1867)].

CD correcting proofs of Variation.

FM likes Ernst Haeckel’s book [Generelle Morphologie (1866)].