Summary

Instructions on paying a bill.

Summary

Explains how to get to Down for visit.

Summary

Invites GB and wife to luncheon.

Summary

Discusses dimorphism of Oxalis; one form has 99% sterile anthers. Has found three kinds of fertile anthers.

Summary

Did not think JDH had written Murray review [see 5217].

Does not think Gardeners’ Chronicle best for publication of "Insular floras" [Gard. Chron. (1867): 6–7, 27, 50–1, 75–6].

T. Laxton’s article, on direct action of pollen of peas on seed and pod, a grand physiological fact and "delightful" for Pangenesis.

Interview with Herbert Spencer.

Summary

Declines contributing to Land and Water. Asks if Frank Buckland can insert a question about the feet of otter hounds.

Summary

Susan Darwin is dead.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s patronage;

will pursue CD’s query about otter-hounds.

Remarks on continuing debate over CD’s views in BAAS.

Summary

Would CD like to have Susan’s Indian chessmen?

EAD should settle something about the house but has no power without consent of all parties.

Caroline looks worn – it has been a most painful time.

Summary

Is unable to fix a day for luncheon until later.

Summary

Is pleased CD approved of his effort ["Address in surgery", see 5219] in which he alluded to CD’s views.

Summary

Disposal of Susan’s effects.

Frank and Henry [Parker] are executors.

EAD is bringing away a large packet of CD’s letters from abroad.

Summary

Sends sermon he preached at the BAAS Nottingham meeting ["The continuity of the schemes of nature and revelation" (1866)], in which he disagrees with CD on the gradual genesis of the human eye by natural selection.

Summary

Has searched scores of purple-fruited nut-trees, but not a nut is to be found. Has heard there are some nearby and will send them as soon as he receives them.

Summary

Comments on proofs [of Principles of geology, 10th ed. (1867–8)]: CL does not allude to the specialisation of classes.

Discusses CL’s argument from the absence of Cetacea in Secondary rocks;

finds his discussion of man "superfluous and too orthodox".

Summary

Does not think he can persuade American publishers to reprint [4th English ed. of] Origin in U. S. Suggests Murray supply copies of it and the new book [Variation] to the American market.

Summary

Disposal of Susan’s effects. Legacies to CD’s children. EAD has taken the letters and papers and asked Henry [Parker] to forward the George Richmond pictures of CD and Emma.

Caroline looks "miserably ill".

Summary

More comments on proofs [of CL’s Principles of geology, 10th ed.]. Discusses permanence of continents and other points.

Refers to passage describing evaporation of snow in Journal [of researches, pp. 277–8].

Cites astronomers’ views on increasing length of day.

Summary

Responds to CP’s sermon. Corrects CP’s confusion of what CD said about eyes of the Articulata with human eye,

and questions applicability of CP’s mathematical arguments about length of geological time needed for evolution.

Agrees he was foolish about the Wealden, now struck from later editions [Origin, pp. 285–7].

Summary

Requests information about the feet of otter-hounds. Is the membrane between the toes more largely developed than in other hounds? To which part or joint of the toes does the skin extend? Is it hollowed out? [There is a hand-written copy of this letter in Invercargill City Libraries and Archives (Alex Robertson Collection, vol. 1: A0444 S12450001). The handwriting is not CD’s: it may be a copy made for the printer, or maybe by a reader of the magazine.]