Summary

Accepts PLS’s offer to read proofs of [Descent].

W. H. Hudson’s paper is interesting.

Summary

Sending two sheets [of Descent]. About one-and-a-half more will complete PLS’s task.

Summary

Asks for information about peacocks, especially Pavo nigripennis. Suggests a crossing experiment.

Summary

Sends two sheets [of Descent] for correction of names of birds. PLS will save him many disgraceful misspellings. Descent now being prepared in five foreign editions.

Summary

Has asked Hooker to sign the Wallace memorial and send it on to THH.

Read splendid lecture by THH on evolution in the Times ["On the application of the laws of evolution to the arrangement of the Vertebrata and more particularly of the Mammalia", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1880): 649–62].

Summary

Thanks PLS for his generous offer to go over the part on birds [in Descent]. Does not think PLS realises that there are more than 200 pages – most of which will have nothing new for him.

W. H. Hudson’s proofs have arrived ["Letters on the ornithology of Buenos Ayres", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1870): 87–9, 158–60, 332–4, 545–50, 671–3, 748–50, 798–82; (1871): 4–7, 258–62, 326–9].

Summary

Says Jacob W. Velie wants to exchange birds’ skins with European naturalist.

Comments on meaning of "Darwinism".

Encloses papers from Practical Entomologist.

Discusses Ornithorhynchus paradoxus

and his paper on willow galls.

Mentions human skull found in California.

Summary

Reports on the snakes he collected in the Galapagos.

Summary

Informs CD that Sylvicola aureola may be a distinct species but is a close ally of S. aestiva of N. and S. America and perhaps only a "climatic variety".

Summary

Final arrangements for new edition of Journal of researches [1860]. Wants one copy to give to P. L. Sclater, who has aided him.

Asks that copy of Origin be sent immediately to Schweizerbart for German translation.

Asa Gray is going to bring out an edition of Origin.

Summary

Asks HWB to sign the memorial, possibly with official title, and then to pass it quickly to Hooker.

Summary

Asks JDH to read the enclosed Memorial, sign it, and send it to T. H. Huxley.

Summary

Thanks PLS for information about variation in birds. Asks for more information.

Summary

Asks PLS whether he will look over list of names of birds [for Descent] to make sure they are spelled correctly. "I have a most unfortunate weakness … to copy proper names incorrectly".

Summary

Had forgotten that Journal [of researches] was stereotyped. Not worth while now to improve style. Wants to make a few corrections, if possible, on p. 378.

Summary

Lists land birds of Galapagos and discusses their distribution on mainland of S. America.

Summary

Reports that dogs caught in the act of sodomy have been attacked by their fellows, who mutilate the offender’s genitals.

Gives a description of the nature and occurrence of the wild Bos of Formosa.

Summary

Alarm over Wallace’s memorial; asks HWB if he has received it and forwarded it to Hooker. Wanted to get it to Gladstone before Parliament met.

Summary

Promises to send copy of Origin [3d ed.].

Is pleased that PLS has "become ""heretical"" on species".

Summary

Balbiani’s puzzling observations on Aphis.