To J. D. Hooker [17 February 1858]
Summary
General success of survey makes CD very concerned about sources of error. Wants to meet JDH for an important talk about big genera. Arranges meeting.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | [17 Feb 1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 222 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2209 |
To J. D. Hooker 4 [February 1858]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 4 [Feb 1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 219 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2210 |
To George Henry Kendrick Thwaites 7 February [1858]
Summary
Thanks GHKT for letter on plant acclimatisation and variation among alpine and lowland forms in Ceylon.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Henry Kendrick Thwaites |
Date: | 7 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.150) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2211 |
To J. D. Hooker 9 February [1858]
Summary
Six volumes of Candolle’s Prodromus confirm rule that small genera vary less than large. Labiatae an exception to rule.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 9 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 223 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2212 |
From George Robert Waterhouse 10 February 1858
Summary
Bees’ cells. Observations on Osmia atricapilla.
Author: | George Robert Waterhouse |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 10 Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 22 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2213 |
From William Balfour Baikie 11 February 1858
Summary
Describes some species of fauna peculiar to Fernando Po. The ocean currents make it unlikely that animals have been floated to the little islands [off the west coast of Africa].
Author: | William Balfour Baikie |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.3: 260 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2214 |
To William Erasmus Darwin 11 [February 1858]
Summary
Writes of domestic matters
and asks WED to observe cart-horses for traces of dark stripes on spine and cross-stripes on shoulder.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Date: | 11 [Feb 1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.6: 22 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2215 |
From G. R. Waterhouse 13 February 1858
Summary
GRW’s observations of and ideas on bees’ and wasps’ cells.
Author: | George Robert Waterhouse |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 23 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2216 |
To Louis Agassiz 21 February [1858]
Summary
Thanks LA for presentation copy of Contributions [to the natural history of the United States of America, vol. 1, pt 1: Essay on classification, and vol. 1, pt 2: North American Testudinata (1857)]. Flattered; CD sees there is much of highest interest to him.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Jean Louis Rodolphe (Louis) Agassiz |
Date: | 21 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | Houghton Library, Harvard University (MS Am 1419: 279) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2217 |
To Asa Gray 21 February [1858]
Summary
Asks whether botanists tend to record varieties more carefully in large genera or small genera.
Wants information on the ranges of varieties of a species compared to the range of the species.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 21 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (21) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2218 |
To W. D. Fox 22 February [1858]
Summary
Thanks for Hewitson [British oology].
Has found more variability in birds’ nests than he expected.
Interested in WDF’s note about turkey terrified by a frog [see Natural selection, p. 488 n.].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 22 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 111) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2219 |
To Charles Cardale Babington 22 February [1858]
Summary
CD and J. D. Hooker have differed on the following question and agreed to ask several botanists: would a good botanist describing a local flora record varieties as readily in large as in small genera?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Cardale Babington |
Date: | 22 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | Cambridge University Library (MS Add.8182: 20) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2220 |
From Edward Blyth 22 February 1858
Author: | Edward Blyth |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 160: 202 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2221 |
To J. D. Hooker 23 February [1858]
Summary
Fertilisation of clover by bees in New Zealand.
Uneasy about biggest genera and their varieties.
H. T. Buckle’s sophistry [History of civilisation in England (1857)].
Working on bees’ cells.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 23 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 224 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2222 |
From H. C. Watson 23 February [1858]
Summary
Believes that botanists tend to mark more varieties in large than in small genera, but notes that where many varieties of a species exist these varieties may well be passed over, whereas similar varieties of another species which are fewer in number may well be recorded.
Author: | Hewett Cottrell Watson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 98: A21–2 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2223 |
To Thomas Henry Huxley 24 February [1858]
Summary
Congratulations on birth of THH’s daughter [Jessie].
On aboriginal dun colour of horses.
Examples of inaccuracies and perpetuation of errors [on hybrids] by "compilers, of which I am one".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Date: | 24 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 107) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2224 |
From J. D. Hooker [25] February 1858
Summary
Botanical practice can confuse CD’s compilations. Many small genera would have been species had the whole natural order [family] been known.
JDH’s low opinion of Buckle;
high opinion of Mrs Farrer.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [25] Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 100: 115a–d |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2225 |
From Frederick Smith 26 February 1858
Summary
Identifies an ant described by CD and discusses the predatory habits of Formica sanguinea.
Describes some wasps’ nests.
Author: | Frederick Smith |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 Feb 1858 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 191 (fragile) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2226 |
To W. E. Darwin 27 [February 1858]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Date: | 27 [Feb 1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.6: 23 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2227 |
To J. D. Hooker 28 February [1858]
Summary
JDH has confirmed CD’s opinion on the affinities of species in great genera. Is looking at large genera in several local Floras to find the "range & commonness of varying species".
Has been "beyond measure interested" in the construction instincts of the hive-bee.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 28 Feb [1858] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 225 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2228 |
letter | (21) |
Darwin, C. R. | (14) |
Waterhouse, G. R. | (2) |
Baikie, W. B. | (1) |
Blyth, Edward | (1) |
Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (7) |
Hooker, J. D. | (5) |
Darwin, W. E. | (2) |
Fox, W. D. | (2) |
Agassiz, Louis | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (21) |
Hooker, J. D. | (6) |
Darwin, W. E. | (2) |
Fox, W. D. | (2) |
Waterhouse, G. R. | (2) |