Summary

Pleased at [advance] sale [of Descent]. Suggests 3000 copies be printed. Corrections are frightful and, CD fears, will not be done until end of year.

Summary

Orders books: J. R. Leifchild, The higher ministry of nature (1872);

Hermann Müller, The application of the Darwinian theory to flowers [(1872?), reprint from Am. Nat. 5 (1871): 271–97];

and a review by J. B. Hunter.

Summary

Difference in plumage of Ardeola, a species of heron, in summer and winter. [See Descent 2: 190.]

Summary

Encloses extract [missing] on a caterpillar.

Mentions William Buckler’s magnificent drawings of caterpillars [The larvae of the British butterflies and moths, Ray Soc. (1886–91)], but doubts Buckler will lend them for any Darwinian purpose. John Hellins has a portion of drawings and is more liberal.

Summary

Parallel quotations from Benjamin Franklin and Descent about absorption of heat by different colours; applies to winter and summer plumage of birds.

Reasoning power in dogs.

Summary

On ocelli.

Sexual differences and proportion of sexes in butterflies.

Coleoptera.

[See Descent 1: 310; 2: 132.]

Summary

Thanks for KHvS’s book [La province de Smyrne (1873)].

Discusses possible meeting.

Summary

Is disappointed at high price, 7s 6d, being considered for the cheap edition of the Origin [6th ed.]. Has been told that, in Lancashire, workmen club together to buy the Origin.

Little chance that Expression will be done this autumn.

Summary

Sends excerpt on polygamous breeding habits of Asiatic elephants by Lieut. Johnstone [Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal (1868): 128]. [See Descent 1: 268.]

Summary

Coloration in moths.

Quotes Achille Guénée on relative proportion of sexes in Phalaenites.

Summary

Resemblance of ocelli, in a moth and the argus pheasant.

Mimicry.

Pugnacity of stickleback.

Summary

Sends copy of his "Address [to the department of anthropology", Rep. BAAS 45 (1875): 142–56].

Notes criticism of remark by Walter Bagehot dealing with extinction of barbarians [cited in Descent 1: 239].

Summary

Replies to CD on proportion of sexes in butterflies, coloration of moths, and courtship. Encloses copies of letters on these subjects between HTS, Henry Doubleday, and John Hellins.

Summary

Has just heard that 1st volume of Dutch edition [of Descent] has been announced for 10 December. Was CD aware that the Dutch intended to publish vol. 1 by itself?

Summary

Received copy of Descent.

Discusses CD’s comments on EH’s work.

Speculates about reception by press and scientists.

Remarks on sexual selection;

on human relationship to catarrhine apes.

Has rejected offer of chair at Vienna.

Compares Jena to Down.

Describes growth of his salary.

Mentions birth of Emma Haeckel.

A. M. Norman’s collection of calcareous sponges is very valuable.

Summary

Encloses letter and sketch from O. N. Rood on pointed ears.

Reports observations on Sarracenia variolaris. A correspondent finds that the fluid in the pitchers is anaesthetic and that a sweet trail runs down the plant, nearly to the ground, to lure up ants.

Encloses two articles on insectivorous plants [Nation 18 (1874): 216–17, 232–4].

Summary

Dutch translation [of Descent].

Notes about reversion.

Hermaphroditism in fishes.

Polydactylism.

Summary

Encloses memorandum on Origin [1866]

discussing mimicry in mammals and birds,

abnormal habits shown by birds,

behaviour of cuckoos,

and analogies existing between mammals of the same geographical region.

Speculates on possible lines of development linking groups of mammals.

[CD’s notes on the verso of the letter are for his reply.]

Summary

Older settlers in U. S. are taller and thinner than recent immigrants.