Summary

Sends first three of his Lectures to working men [on our knowledge of the phenomena of organic nature (1863)]. Does not intend them to be widely circulated.

Summary

Has broken up school a few days early to avoid danger. Hopes CD’s son is nearly recovered.

Summary

Discusses deduction from bill for medicine.

Summary

Encloses a question [missing] concerning language [from Hensleigh Wedgwood].

Summary

If Wickham remains in town and CD is well enough, BJS thinks they might come about the 22d.

Summary

Would like JL to call.

Summary

Illness of his son [Leonard]. Has done no work for weeks.

JDH’s hybrid orchids are interesting; CD is surprised many hybrids are not produced.

George [Darwin] caught a moth sucking Gymnadenia conopsea with a pollen-mass of Habenaria bifolia sticking to it.

Summary

Lenny [Leonard Darwin]’s illness.

Polymorphism in valerian and Lythrum salicaria.

Summary

Asks if WDF has ever crossed wild and common turkeys. Would like to quote his authority [see Variation 1: 292].

Also curious whether WDF has known the so-called japanned peacock to appear from common peacock [Variation 1: 290].

Summary

Glad to receive CD’s pat on back for address.

Wants to know what CD thinks of the argument on geological contemporaneity.

On his poor health.

Summary

Effect on seed production of differences in distance between Lythrum plants.

Summary

Explains how melting of ice in Glen Spean could have successively freed two lower cols, thus establishing the water-levels that determined the two lower shelves in Glen Roy.

Plans to read a paper to the Linnean Society ["Sexual forms of Catasetum", Collected papers 2: 63–70].

Summary

Requests Oxalis acetosella, which he suspects is dimorphic.

Summary

Has misplaced CD’s forwarding address.

Summary

Louis Pasteur’s memoir "is a very able and convincing one" ["Mémoire sur les corpuscles organisés qui existent dans l’atmosphère", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 3d ser. 16 (1861): 5–98].

Summary

Would like to go to Cambridge [for BAAS meeting]. Reminisces about his student days.

Pleased that WDF likes his book [Orchids]. At one time CD agreed with Lyell that he was an ass to publish it.

Working on dimorphism and sensibility of other plants.

Summary

Asa Gray has a self-fertilising Platanthera, like the bee orchid. CD believes problem of the latter will some day be explained. Speculates [Ophrys] arachnites may be crossing form and bee orchid self-fertilising form of the same species.

Cytisus adami is a puzzle.

Pleased if DO will review Orchids [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 2 (1862): 371–6] .

His review of Primula paper was capital. [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 2 (1862): 235–43].

Requests peloric plants.

Summary

Believes Lythrum is trimorphic. Asks AG for seeds of plants he suspects are polymorphic.

Summary

Wanted to talk with CD about the astonishing new Pliocene fossil discoveries in North America reported by Leidy. One horse fossil’s dentition, if it could be believed, would be of great interest to CD’s views.

Summary

Continues breeding guinea-pigs to test effects of warmth on gestation period. Concludes period is ten weeks and warmth has no influence. Offers CD the specimens.

Awaits Variation.