Summary

Development of the horns of local sheep.

Results of breeding tailless pointers: of six puppies, three had stumps like parents.

Observations on Drosophyllum.

Summary

Sends a letter (and seeds) from Fritz Müller about a strange monstrous form of Begonia found wild in Brazil. Asks GB whether it is worth communicating to Linnean Society.

Summary

Will have Fritz Müller’s letter ["On the modification of the stamens in a species of Begonia", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 11 (1871): 472–4] read at next Linnean Society meeting [read 3 June 1869].

Has given the seeds to Daniel Oliver.

Summary

Notes sex ratios in Lepidoptera he is breeding.

Summary

Comments on paper by JJW ["On insects and insectivorous birds", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1869): 21–6]. JJW’s verification of A. R. Wallace’s suggestion regarding inheritance is quite a discovery.

Summary

Sends his MS "The real presence" [on transubstantiation] for CD’s comments.

Summary

He is managing to salvage a few Andalusian Drosophyllum plants from the voyage and will send some to CD.

Summary

Cites article by David Forbes dealing with the geology of the S. American Cordillera ["Geology of Bolivia and South Peru", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 17 (1861): 7–62].

Discusses the flexures of the Cordillera, the age of the mountains, and basaltic dikes in granite areas.

Summary

He forwarded CD’s queries on the insane to James Crichton-Browne who has now answered.

Summary

Asks for information about male birds migrating before females.

Summary

Orders two second-hand books from a dealer’s catalogue.

Summary

Thanks for MS observations on expression. Discusses hair standing on end in terror and rage. Asks JC-B to observe contraction of platysma myoides. "Your description of the grinning and exposure of the canine teeth under furious rage is excellent. I presume that you would not object to my quoting it." Asks about contraction of "grief muscles". Comments on blushing. Offers to send book by G. B. A. Duchenne [Mécanisme de la physionomie humaine (1862)].

Summary

Thanks GM for specimens of Drosophyllum.

Summary

Discusses secondary hoofs in antelope and deer.

Mentions tuft of hair on turkey hen.

Summary

Migratory male nightingales and blackcaps arrive before females [see Descent 1: 259].

Discusses chaffinch "Peggers".

Disagrees with CD’s opinion that canary mules are fertile.

Display of colour of greenfinches in courtship.

Summary

Thanks for information about bird migration.

Comments on canary hybridisation.

Summary

Acknowledges receipt of £263 13s. 8d.

Summary

AR, gardener to the King of Prussia, has read Variation and wishes to send CD observations.

Summary

Justifies his use of term "degraded" by comparing contrivances for cross-fertilisation in different species of Viola.

Summary

Dislikes the use of the term "degradation" as applied to the closed flowers of Viola species. Species with such self-fertilising flowers also have flowers adapted for crossing. The development of closed flowers adapted to ensure a sufficient stock of seed is progressive.