Summary

The signatories warn the RHS that in offering prizes for collections of specimens of wild English plants, the Society will cause serious injury to varieties already threatened without any real promotion of scientific botany.

Summary

Thanks LA for Methods of study [1863].

Is gratified that he has not taken a personal dislike to CD, though he is strongly opposed to nearly everything CD has written.

Summary

CD has told Scott not to hope for help from JDH.

Health improving.

Hopes to write Lythrum paper soon.

Summary

Discusses DJB’s MS concerning the origin of species.

Summary

Another plea to take Scott on at Kew. Emma begs CD not to employ him at Down.

Has just received a long article on the Origin from D. J. Brown, an Edinburgh baker [see 4464].

Summary

Writes about a land transaction.

Summary

CD thinks JDH takes a hard view of Scott’s character, but will not argue further.

Leersia.

Working on homomorphic and heteromorphic crosses in Primula.

Summary

Instructions on measuring pollen of dimorphic plants.

Summary

Thanks WED for measuring cowslip pollen. Sends dimorphic flowers.

Summary

Thanks for DO’s Lessons in elementary botany [1864].

Asks him to inquire whether there are any twining species of Passiflora.

Summary

Experiment instructions.

Summary

Oxalis plants have arrived safely [see 4347].

CD regrets his mistake about Disa; will correct it.

Thanks RT for his additional facts about Disa.

Is recovering slowly from ten months’ illness.

Asks whether Strelitzia reginae grows in gardens at the Cape. Suspects it must be fertilised by a bird.

Summary

Discusses WED’s observations on polymorphic flowers.

Summary

CD finishing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Pleased at Bates’s appointment

and Wallace’s paper.

Summary

Corrects his former account of cowslips.

The delay in the publication of JS’s Primula paper.

Delights in JS’s experimentation on Verbascum which confirms [C. F.] Gärtner’s statements.

Should be pleased if JS would accept offer of help.

Summary

Encloses an extract from a letter received from [J. D.] Hooker which suggests a job opportunity in India. Advises careful reflection about the risks and the need for a character recommendation. Would like to support the costs of the voyage and initial living expenses.

Summary

CD’s pleasure at JDH’s willingness to help Scott find a position in India.

Naudin underrates contamination of his experiments by insects. Thus CD doubts Naudin’s results on rapidity and universality of reversion in hybrids.

Wallace’s paper on man [see 4494] reflects his genius, although CD does not fully agree with it.

Summary

Response to ARW’s papers on Papilionidae ["On the phenomena of variation and geographical distribution", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 25 (1866): 1–71; abstract in Reader 3 (1864): 491–3],

and man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].

The former is "really admirable" and will be influential.

The idea of the man paper is striking and new. Minor points of difference. Conjectures regarding racial differences; the possible correlation between complexion and constitution. His Query to Army surgeons to determine this point. Offers ARW his notes on man, which CD doubts he will be able to use.

On sexual selection in "our aristocracy"; primogeniture is a scheme for destroying natural selection.

[Letter incorrectly dated March by CD.]

Summary

Is slowly writing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Thanks for [Charles?] Wright’s observations on orchids

– could he note what attracts insects to Begonia and Melastoma? H. Crüger, who was going to observe Melastomataceae, has died.

Describes the climbing habits of Bignonia capreolata and Eccremocarpus scaber.

How does AG know the perfect flowers of Voandzeia are quite sterile?

He has a case of dimorphism in holly; asks AG to report on American hollies.

Summary

Thanks HCW for Lythrum specimens.

CD has at last finished his Lythrum paper. ["Three forms of Lythrum", Collected papers 2: 106–31.]