Summary

At the request of his sister, Marion Bell, he sends a copy of his essay on the nervous system. It contains a view of the development of the animal kingdom in illustration of Charles Bell’s classification of the nerves. Human powers are held to be more dependent upon the structure of the mouth than that of the hand.

Summary

Is sending a copy of [John] Shaw’s book, which Lady Bell says is based on Charles Bell’s papers [possibly C. Bell, A treatise on diseases of the urethra, 3d ed. with notes by John Shaw (1822)].

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

Plans to write a book on expression. Questions WB on orbicular muscle in screaming infant and function of muscle contractions in looking at a distant object.

Summary

Supposes that infants’ eyes bulge and become engorged with blood during fits of sneezing or screaming, but doubts Charles Bell’s experiment of opening and observing eyes turn from pale to red [Anatomy and philosophy of expression (1844)].

Discusses the action of the eye when looking at distant objects.

Summary

Responds to CD’s criticisms. JDH is sometimes confused as to what he has borrowed from CD.

Summary

Sends references to books by Charles Lebrun.

Summary

Sends Oliver’s list of references on Adoxa.

Baby now out of trouble.

Pleased with Paris exhibition.

Summary

Asks whether he may have right to translate Variation into German.

Summary

Will send proto-Lamarckian pamphlet [1799] by Charles White, if CD wishes. It has a graduated scale of types from snipe to man.

Summary

Discusses a rare shell found by BJS on the Beagle voyage, an account of which has just been written by Davidson [possibly in Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 20 (1867): 81–3].

Summary

Thanks AG for his trouble about expression queries; wishes he had thought earlier of having them printed.

Is "plodding on" correcting Variation

and getting "a little amusement" from plant experiments. Oxalis is trimorphic like Lythrum.

Is continuing his experiments on seedling vigour.

Has heard hybrid potatoes can be produced by joining halves of different tubers.

Summary

Sends a copy of his paper in Ibis [2d ser. 2 (1866): 88–109] on the birds of the Azores,

and one by G. R. Crotch on the Coleoptera [Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1867): 359–91].

Summary

He had no idea that the double function of an excretory passage had played a part in the history of religion.

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.