Summary

ARW’s review of 10th ed. of Lyell’s Principles [see 6684] is admirable.

But he differs "grievously" with ARW on man. CD sees no necessity for an additional and proximate cause.

Summary

GR regarded as a dreamer in Bavaria. Laments local social and political conditions.

Describes his ideas of mechanics in nature.

Summary

Reports on the sales of Variation; discusses the difficulties of inserting additions and corrections.

Summary

Sends paper on mechanisms of cross-fertilisation in flowers ["Note on Parnassia palustris", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 11 (1871): 24–31].

Studying how fertilisation takes place without the aid of insects in winter varieties.

Summary

The peacocks mentioned in his last letter as yet show no differences in development of spurs. [See Descent 1: 290 n.]

Summary

Has experimented with some success in growing twigs with buds

and a grass plant from which a ptarmigan had extracted the core.

Summary

Thanks PGK for his aid in reporting the curious case of the parrot.

Will consult John Gould about rosella [Australian parakeet].

Recalls with pleasure their friendship on board the Beagle.

Summary

Has found no difference between male and female rhesus monkeys at the Zoological Gardens in amount of facial hairiness. Observations on other monkeys.

Summary

Thanks GM for specimens of Drosophyllum; by a strange coincidence CD has also received plants from a correspondent in Oporto [W. C. Tait].

Summary

Arranges to send a copy of Journal of researches.

Summary

Has sold 400 copies of Facts and arguments for Darwin. It is a poor time for bookselling.

Last Quarterly Review has best exposition of Darwinism he has met with [A. R. Wallace, "Geological climates, and origin of species", Q. Rev. 126 (1869): 359–94].

Proposes to print 2000 copies of a new [5th] edition of Origin.

Summary

Has made a wonderful recovery [from riding accident].

Asks for information on blushing and screaming [for Expression].

Summary

A new edition [4th German] of Origin to be published by Schweizerbart. JVC asks CD to send any changes or additions.

Variation has sold two-thirds of the first printing [1868].

Hopes he may do translation of CD’s new work [Descent].

Summary

Thanks JM for Quarterly Review. A. R. Wallace’s article inimitably good – and a triumph that it appears where it will make B[ishop] of O[xford] and Owen gnash their teeth.

Delighted at the sale of F. Müller’s book.

Thinks he has brought Origin up to "present standard of science" [5th ed. (June 1869)].

Slow progress on Descent.

His horse rolled over him, but he is recovering rapidly.

Summary

SB is founding a natural history society to study the flora and fauna of the southern Slavic countries.

Plans to print portraits of the four most distinguished naturalists and asks for a photograph of CD.

Summary

Sends paper on the "Origin of genera".

J. Decaisne, in last week’s Gardeners’ Chronicle, on the apple, cannot mean there are no intermediates between Malus and Pyrus.

Summary

Referee report on paper by Richard Spruce on sacs in Melastoma [see 6690]. CD says RS’s suggestions that sacs are inherited is not supported and should be deleted.

Summary

South Down sheep: variability in colouring and patterning of lambs compared with constancy of adult coat.

Summary

Sends CD some notes [missing] on the mode of fertilisation of winter-flowering plants, and outlines his conclusions regarding the different types of winter-flowerers and the means by which they are fertilised.

Summary

Asks for a photograph of CL to be used by a society [in Serbia].

Comments on article by Wallace ["Sir Charles Lyell on geological climates and the Origin", Q. Rev. 126 (1869): 359–94].

Has finished new edition of Origin [5th (1869)]

and is back at work on sexual selection [Descent].