Summary

Criticisms and comments on JDH’s "Insular floras" in Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1867): 6].

Summary

The date-palm seed case is important for Pangenesis.

Reports experiments on pollination of Ipomoea.

"Insular floras": A. Murray’s paper in Gardeners’ Chronicle is poor.

John Scott’s work on acclimatisation of plants.

The anomaly of the Azores flora on the migration theory.

Summary

Thanks for copy of HS’s First principles [? 2d ed. (1867)].

Comments on HS’s Principles of biology [1864, 1867].

Summary

Cannot come to Down; John Smith is unwell.

Will go to Paris again at end of month.

Wallace and F. J. H. von Mueller of Victoria are most likely candidates for Royal Society Gold Medal for biology.

Encloses letter from Henry Barkly.

Summary

Comments on a discussion of humming-birds by the Duke of Argyll [in The reign of law (1867)].

Encloses article by Henry Parker on the Duke’s book [Saturday Rev. 23 (1867): 82–4].

Summary

Discusses hybridisation in cowslip and primrose.

Mentions proposed visit.

Summary

Will not be inclined to challenge Pangenesis.

Admits CD’s victory over JDH’s continental hypothesis (but will not give up Greenland).

Relation of variation to circumstances is shown by discovery of endemic St Helena umbellifer having same palm-like habit as an endemic Madeiran species.

Has completed Boott’s Carices [Illustrations of the genus Carex, pt 4 (1867)],

is printing W. H. Harvey’s work [Genera of South African plants, 2d ed. (1868)],

and is revising English edition of Alphonse de Candolle’s Laws of botanical nomenclature [trans. H. A. Weddell (1868)].

Arrangements at Kew. Gardener [John Smith] is very ill; Oliver reigns supreme in the Herbarium.

Summary

JvH will help with expression queries. Considers CD’s investigation highly important and original. Sends list of men to whom he is sending copies of the questions.

Summary

Returns Charles Naudin’s letter with its case in support of CD’s view of impregnation.

Twits JDH for trying to wriggle out of error made in his lecture and admires his "candour in letting the rat out of the bag". [See 5449 and 5451.]

Summary

Relieved that CD approves his declining the Presidency of BAAS. The BAAS and the role of scientific men in it.

Summary

Woolner’s bust.

Smith’s health.

St Helena Umbelliferae.

Brambles.

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

Many of EB’s remarks about Origin [4th ed. (1866)] are new to CD.

Thinks of writing a short essay on man.

Struck by EB’s remarks about orang. They are similar to Carl Vogt’s remarks on origin of man from distinct ape families.

Thinks similarity of orang to Malay must be accidental.

Will send Variation when it is published.

Summary

Thanks for two copies of Hildebrand’s monograph on plant sexuality (Hildebrand 1867a).

Summary

Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s book [Reign of law (1867)].

Cites his own views on diversity of structure and beauty.

Encloses letter from Wallace. Sexual selection: evidence advanced by Wallace.

Discusses correlation of growth.

Comments on article in the North British Review [by Fleeming Jenkin].

Discusses the evidence from physics on the age of the earth.

[Four pages of the final letter are missing, but the draft is complete.]

Summary

On the Duke of Argyll and a review of his Reign of law.

Asa Gray’s theological view of variation. God’s role in formation of organisms; JDH’s view of Providence.

Insular and continental genera.

Owen on continuity and ideal types

and on bones of Mauritius deer.

On man.