Summary

Because of work on the first number of the new Royal Geographical Society magazine, a manual of geography, and other things, HWB finds he must decline CD’s invitation.

Summary

Would like to see reviews of book [Variation].

Health has lately been indifferent.

Cannot at present pledge to give [EK?] translation rights to next book.

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

Asks CD what prompts dogs of all kinds to roll themselves in decayed animal matter; inherited habit or immediate gratification?

Summary

Thanks for [Natürliche] Schöpfungsgeschichte [1868]. "What an indomitable worker you are."

Agrees with EH’s Entstehung des Menschengeschlechts [1868].

Summary

FM’s additions for English edition [1869] of Für Darwin.

Dimorphic plants.

Summary

Thanks correspondent for information. CD does not care much for more cases of striped asses,

but is pleased at the interesting case of the affectionate jackal that licks like a domestic dog.

Summary

CD arranges for copies of some blocks [for use in Descent] from Brehm’s [Illustrirtes Thierleben (1864–7)].

Summary

Thanks for two small works.

Will read essay on man [Entstehung des Menschengeschlechts] with much interest.

Generelle Morphologie reviewed by G. Bentham ["Anniversary Address", Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1867–8): lviii–c].

Extremely sceptical of hare–rabbit hybrid.

Summary

Sexual differences in coloration. Sexual selection versus natural selection as explanations. ARW continues to argue against sexual selection, saying that natural selection, in keeping the female dull for protection, would account for differences in sexual colouring more effectively than inheritance and partial transmission of sexually selected male colours. Colours of female birds of paradise. Protective coloration. Disagrees with CD on coincidence of hidden nests and bright colours of females.

Summary

Sends a bill he thinks is Caroline’s.

Tells CD of officers’ praise of Leonard.

Summary

Will repeat CD’s experiments on dimorphic and trimorphic plants.

Auditory organs of Orthoptera; stridulation in lamellicorn beetles.

Summary

Movement in plants.

Dimorphism.

Would welcome FM’s opinion of Pangenesis.

Summary

CD is much interested in FB’s remarks in Land and Water on the apparent excess of male trout over females and asks for further information on other fish, birds, and domestic quadrupeds.

Summary

Thanks AdeC for his long letter full of interesting facts, which will be of great use if a new edition [of Variation] is demanded.

As for when CD will publish on variation in a state of nature: he has had the MS almost ready for several years but Variation fatigued him so much

that "I determined to amuse myself by publishing a short essay on the Descent of Man".

AdeC will have plenty of time to publish his views. Asks permission to quote AdeC on a case of inheritance of scalp-muscles [see Descent 1: 20].

Hooker has expressed a view, similar to AdeC’s, "that morals & politics would be very interesting if discussed like any branch of Natural History".

Agrees with AdeC on acclimatisation

and on graft-hybrids.

CD is repeating Hildebrand’s method in producing graft-hybrid potatoes.

As for Pangenesis, very few people approve of it though it has some enthusiastic friends and CD has much faith in its vitality.

Summary

Comments on DP’s paper on man ["Transmutation of man according to the Darwinian theory" (n.d.)].

Summary

On sounds produced by Euchirus longimanus beetle. Sends a pair by post.

Summary

Hybrid geese.

Proportions of sexes in sheep and cattle.

Pairing habits of crows.

Summary

Coloration of blind beetles.

Sizes of sexes in Taphroderes.

Summary

Is obliged for the facts about the hybrids [see 5910], which permit him to reject the view of B. D. Walsh (and H. W. Bates?) that organs play an important part in keeping incipient species distinct.

He has asked John Murray to send RM a copy of Variation.