Summary

Bees’ cells; GRW thinks hexagonal shape is accidental. Encloses notes on cells of Icaria.

Summary

Mentions expected birth of child [Henrietta Emma].

BAAS meeting.

Comments on letters from G. R. Waterhouse and William Lonsdale.

Describes survival of apparently "fossil" seeds sent by W. Kemp.

Is at work on MS [of Volcanic islands].

Summary

[Six fragments, mainly diagrams.] The geometry of bees’ cells.

Summary

Thanks him for describing the niata ox.

He is delighted that GRW is grappling with Galápagos insects. Needs to know immediately whether any entomologists beside GRW, Walker and A. White have described his insects.

Summary

Variations in sizes of bees’ cells.

Summary

Sends list of aberrant forms of Curculionidae.

Discusses in detail the artificiality of Carl Johan Schönherr’s classification. Sound generalisations about geographical distribution depend on sound classifications. Warns against putting too much faith in current catalogues.

Summary

Is puzzled by CD’s question about the Viverridae; thinks if there were only one species he might regard it as an aberrant of some other group and not select it as a type of the Carnivora.

Summary

Congratulates JDH on receipt of Royal Medal.

CD gathering facts on aberrant genera of insects.

Summary

Bees’ cells. Observations on Osmia atricapilla.

Summary

Has nearly finished South America.

Pleased to hear JDH has worked out identical and representative species of N. Temperate and Antarctic regions.

Geoffroy Saint Hilaire’s "loi du balancement" as applied to plants.

CD jaded by, but has nearly completed, South America.

Summary

Testimonial letter for GRW for position at British Museum.

Summary

"Excessively" interested in theory of bees’ cell formation.

Fears few of his pigeons will be of any use to WBT.

Hopes WBT will describe foreign poultry breeds.

Summary

Discusses his paper on CD’s Galapagos beetles ["Coleopterous insects … in the Galapagos Islands", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 16 (1845): 19–41] which he will forward when printed. Has drawn up descriptions of several other insects from CD’s collections.

Summary

Discusses education of his sons. Would like to see more diversity.

He is pleased that Richard Owen and others had a good opinion of his first volume [on Living Cirripedia].

Summary

Explains what he means when he attempts a "natural classification", defining his words and using man as a standard; gives examples. Classification of Aptera and Diptera.

Discusses his discharge from the Zoological Society. Is to see Robert Brown about the British Museum position.

Summary

Fertilisation of clover by bees in New Zealand.

Uneasy about biggest genera and their varieties.

H. T. Buckle’s sophistry [History of civilisation in England (1857)].

Working on bees’ cells.

Summary

Latitude overrules everything in distribution. Alpine distributions are like insular. Tabulating proportions.

T. V. Wollaston’s Madeira insects: many flightless, thus not blown to sea. TVW’s insects do not confirm Forbes’s Atlantis.

Summary

Writes of a visit to Leith Hill and WED’s injured ankle.

Summary

Has been in France, conveys good wishes from Quatrefages.

Describes the fossil of an unusual mammal head from Brazil.

Summary

Relates domestic affairs.

Thinks his bees’ cell theory will hold good.