Summary

Encloses some queries.

Would also like information about proportion of male to female humming-birds.

Reference to OS’s paper in Ibis, vol. 2.

Summary

Sorry to hear of baby’s illness.

Comments on statement that belief in natural selection is passing away. Common descent of species is almost universally accepted now, and this is more important. In large part acceptance is due to Origin. Discusses reception of and interest in Origin in various countries.

Summary

Comments on Wollaston’s troubles

and his book [Coleoptera Hesperidum (1867)].

Mohl’s claim to foreign membership in Royal Society very strong.

Has been in despair about Variation – not worth a fifth part of the labour it cost him.

Is reading F. A. W. Miquel’s Flora du Japon [Prolusio florae Japonicae (1866–7)]; wonders whether A. Murray could be correct in his view that an area of the sea prevented Asiatico-Japan flora colonising western N. America.

Comments on A. Murray’s book [Geographical distribution of mammals (1866)].

Summary

CD thanks JBI for contribution to Down school.

George [Darwin] has passed his examination at Cambridge;

Henrietta has been poorly.

Summary

Thanks for Nathusius [Die Racen des Schweines (1860)].

CD will call on JEG to hear his views on specific differences of pigs.

Does not know who has "cut me up so severely" in the Athenæum but suspects "your great man in the Museum" [Richard Owen].

Summary

Has been interested in copy of HD’s letter to H. T. Stainton on numerical proportions of the sexes of insects. Do they vary during different years?

Does he have opinions about the courtships of butterflies?

Will send a copy of his paper on Primula when it is published. [See 5997.]

Summary

Discusses papers by JC dealing with erosion. Comments on papers on the subject by J. B. Jukes, A. C. Ramsay, and William Whitaker. Formerly believed in power of the sea. Never fully realised the truth until reading JC’s papers.

Summary

Any notes on idea of human beauty by natives who have little association with Europeans would interest CD.

Also influence of females on males’ choice.

Sends copy of Queries about expression.

Summary

Does not think the supposed cow–deer hybrid worth investigating.

John Robinson [the curate at Down] reported to be walking with girls at night.

Summary

Thanks AG for Animaux fossiles et géologie de l’Attique [1862–7]. Refers to Lyell’s quotation from AG as "one of the most striking I have ever read on the affiliation of Species".

Summary

Thanks for Botanische Zeitung notice of CD’s paper ["On the character and hybrid-like nature of the offspring from the illegitimate unions of dimorphic and trimorphic plants", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 10 (1869): 393–437]. FH writes clearest style of all German authors.

Asks that August Weismann be told about papers by Wallace and Bates.

Summary

Grieved by Wollaston’s troubles. Offers contribution of £100. "How foolish men are in their investments."

Delight about George’s success.

Summary

Asks about camouflage of birds in the Sahara desert.

Summary

Cannot fill out a return [for foreign revenue?] until his return home.

Summary

Thanks HTS for his valuable information. Hopes to arrive at probable answer to question of proportion of males to females in the progeny of butterflies bred in domestication.

On courtship of butterflies, CD believes something more than chance is involved in determining which male is successful.

Summary

Thanks RT for drawings of ocelli, especially for the description of ocelli of S. African Saturniidae. Would like to know of any cases in which the ocelli are confined to the male, to illustrate better the case of the peacock.

Summary

Will send THF’s paper [on scarlet runners] to Annals and Magazine of Natural History with a note recommending publication [see 6384].

Suggests books on Lobelia.

Summary

Returns Anthropological Review.

Asks to borrow Desmarest on Crustacea [Considérations générales sur la classe des crustacés (1825)].

Has been reading JL’s address to the Entomological Society [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 3d. ser. 5 (1865–7): cxiii–cxxxi].

Would like to hear JL’s conclusion for or against Pangenesis.

Summary

Asks that Gray forward a letter to J. T. Rothrock. Variation is selling well. Nearly all chapters were at least partially written before Origin was published.

Summary

Thinks GHL’s articles are quite excellent; hopes they will be republished.

Discusses adaptation. Doubts whether similar conditions without selection can produce similar organs independent of blood relationship: "resemblances due to descent and adaptation can commonly be distinguished".

Discusses luminous insects, electrical organs of fish, thorns and spines.