Summary

Asks about proportions of male to female insects.

Summary

Has put question of proportion of sexes in insects to the Entomological Society. Quotes H. T. Stainton and F. Smith. Cites some cases mentioned by other members.

Is reading Variation; does not quite understand Pangenesis.

Summary

CD in utter confusion about differences between J. O. Westwood and HWB on division of certain insects. Asks if HWB will homologise certain families for him, telling him which terms would be most generally understood.

Asks also about differences on sound-producing organs of Achetidae Gryllidae.

Summary

Comments on J. O. Westwood’s entomological nomenclature.

Discusses the organs for stridulation in Orthoptera [see Descent 1: 352ff].

Summary

Thanks HWB for bringing "the question of sexes" before the Entomological Society. Feels he will come to some conclusion by comparison of numerous observations.

It appears Pangenesis "will expire unblessed and uncursed by the world".

Summary

Finds no absolute differences in size of sexes of Copridae. Gives several other genera in which males are larger than females.

Confirms his view of stridulation organ of house cricket. [see Descent 1: 354–5.]

Tells CD of a powerful convert to Darwinism: H. von Kiesenwetter of Berlin.

Summary

Results of his examination of divergence in sexual coloration of tropical American butterflies. [See Descent 1: 389 on Junonia and Papilio.]

Summary

Requests information on the standard of beauty of savages and on whether the female has any influence in selecting a male.

Summary

CD has questions related to colour differences in the sexes of butterflies, especially in relation to HWB’s paper ["On variation in sexes of Argynnis diana", Proc. Entomol. Soc. Philadelphia 4 (1865): 204–7].

Mentions that his MS on Lepidoptera [for Descent] is longer than he intended and the information is four-fifths owed to HWB.

Summary

In addition to the drawing of a caterpillar which CD intends to use,

HWB sends information on differences of colour and pattern between the sexes of species of Papilio.

Argynnis diana and A. sagana have females that are brightly coloured, but these may be cases of protective mimicry.

Summary

Thanks HWB for answering questions.

The MS on Lepidoptera is almost finished and he is glad HWB will read it; he is fearful of mistakes, not being familiar with the subject.

Summary

HWB thinks he can buy specimens of male and female insects at Mr Janson’s.

Summary

Lists specimens he wants from Mr Janson, emphasising that he always wants male and female.

He extends an invitation for a Sunday in early June.

Summary

He has been occupied with Royal Geographical Society anniversary meeting, but did go to Janson and selected various specimens for CD, some of which have remarkable stridulating organs.

The habits of Lethrus are found in Kirby and Spence’s Introduction [to entomology, 7th ed. (1856)].

Summary

Because of work on the first number of the new Royal Geographical Society magazine, a manual of geography, and other things, HWB finds he must decline CD’s invitation.

Summary

Informs CD of K. G. Semper’s desire to meet him and to discuss new information on volcanic phenomena, geographical distribution, etc.