Summary

Congratulates WP on the success of his lectures.

Discusses the phrase "struggle for existence".

Sends a list of his papers.

Summary

Interested in Barkly’s letter about Mauritius. Doubts non-volcanic origin. Urges collection of all forms of terrestrial life to determine whether they are of a former continent or "waifs and strays". He leans to latter view, as snakes and reptiles are different.

Huxley’s address wonderfully "brilliant", but it is a mistake to separate evolutionists from uniformitarians.

Bentham has come out "splendidly" on descent of species.

Summary

Williams and Norgate inform CD that they dispatched the small parcel to Leipzig on 23 February. CD fears it may not be worth the trouble to CC.

Summary

Sends CD a paper ["Ant-agency in plant structure", published in Spruce Notes of a botanist on the Amazon and Andes, ed. A. R. Wallace (1908)] on plant structures he believes are the work of insects; asks him to forward it to the Linnean Society [read 15 Apr 1869].

Writes of his support for the Origin, before which he had been much concerned by the delimitation of so-called species.

Summary

RS’s facts are remarkable. A year or two ago CD would not have believed ants could produce an inherited effect, but he has "lately come to believe rather more in inherited mutations". However, CD is not satisfied that the sacs are inherited and urges RS to produce any other evidence he might have.

Summary

Discusses wear and tear due to glaciation and significance of this evidence for dating the glacial period. Mentions views of James Croll and Archibald Geikie on the issue.

Summary

Describes the work he is writing, Cosmology (Ramsay 1870).

Summary

Drosophyllum plants recovering [from trip]. Describes experiments on them.

Summary

Regrets Frank [Darwin] did not pass the Trinity scholarship examination, but he hears Frank did well on the viva voce part.

Pleased CD is willing to help the University’s Museum of Zoology; he encloses the printed appeal.

Summary

Insectivorous plants; Drosophyllum lusitanicum.

Descriptions of the local sheep.

Summary

Describes the floral structure and fertilisation of some melastomes;

discusses the direct agency of insects in modifying the structure of flowers.

Summary

Wants information on plumage of chickens

and table of sex ratios in greyhounds.

Summary

Will attempt to provide CD with the information requested as soon as he can.

Gives references to some recent papers and articles which might interest CD.

Is currently reviewing Wallace’s new book [Malay Archipelago].

Summary

Numerical proportion of males to females in greyhound puppies.

Summary

Regrets he cannot come to London to be photographed [for GCW’s Eminent men of the day (1870)]. Invites GCW to Down.

Summary

Thanks for greyhound table; interested in transmission of colour in greyhounds and relationship to sex.

Summary

Expands upon their differences in regard to man and the question of the existence of forces not yet recognised by science.

Summary

He has found abundant Drosophyllum in Andalusia.

Summary

Not well owing to fall from horse.

[Drosophyllum] plants going on very well.

Summary

Enquires about spurs in the last year’s birds of Pavo Spicifer and cristatus.

Enquires about sexual differences in mandrills.

Asks the correct spelling of JNH’s surname and offers to send a copy of Journal of Researches.