Summary

Louis Pasteur’s memoir "is a very able and convincing one" ["Mémoire sur les corpuscles organisés qui existent dans l’atmosphère", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 3d ser. 16 (1861): 5–98].

Summary

Explains how melting of ice in Glen Spean could have successively freed two lower cols, thus establishing the water-levels that determined the two lower shelves in Glen Roy.

Plans to read a paper to the Linnean Society ["Sexual forms of Catasetum", Collected papers 2: 63–70].

Summary

Declines the honour of acting as Steward at the Annual Dinner of the Royal Literary Fund.

Summary

E. A. Parkes informs him there will be difficulty about the Army returns [on CD’s Query to Army surgeons, see Freeman, Works of Charles Darwin, p. 111] owing to official obstructions by Director General. [Enclosed letter from Parkes to GB says that the Director General does not think that Army surgeons could be asked to collect information systematically for CD, but perhaps some informal, voluntary arrangement could be made.]

Summary

Will hope to be able to send Vanilla flowers in a day or two.

How is CD after his tremendous effect on the placid Linneans? ["Sexual forms of Catasetum", Collected papers 2: 63–70; read 3 Apr 1862.]

Summary

Cannot accept invitation at present.

Is sending a wild honeycomb from Timor.

Summary

Has several specimens illustrating dimorphism in insects that he would be happy to leave where CD could examine them.

Discusses the ant genera Formica and Atta, and the origin of the two forms of workers commonly found in the species of these genera.

Summary

Suggests CD use a tabular form for Army doctors to write their observations on, and suggests it be limited to malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery.

Summary

On Vanilla.

Asks JDH to observe whether he has both long- and short-styled form of Menyanthes

and whether he has "Saxifrages with long hairs glandular at the tip".

The Linnean Society session made him vomit all night. Fears he must give up trying to read papers or speak. "It is a horrid bore. I can do nothing like other people."

Summary

JM is a bold man to print 1500 copies [of Orchids].

Summary

Now believes flowers of Fumariaceae must be self-fertilised.

Planning a piece on dimorphism in the Natural History Review ["On the two forms, or dimorphic condition, in the species of Primula … by Charles Darwin", n.s. 2 (1862): 235–43].

Observations on Campanula dimorphism.

Summary

Did CD lend AM a pamphlet on cave insects by S. Scudder ["On the genus Raphidophora", Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 8 (1861–2): 6–14]? CD much wants it and remembers lending it to someone.

Summary

DO’s observations on polymorphism in Primula and Campanula. CD recognises three classes of dimorphism, as in Primula, Thymus, and Campanula and violets.

DO’s Campanula paper and Royal Institution lecture [Not. Proc. R. Inst. G. B. 3 (1858–62): 431–3].

CD’s interest in Fumariaceae from A. Gray’s comments on "selfing".

Bees bite holes in flowers when same species grows in high density.

Organisation of CD’s notes.

Summary

AM did not borrow a Samuel Scudder pamphlet from CD; in fact he was not aware of its existence.

Summary

Is it convenient for him and Willy to come to Down from Thursday to Sunday?

Summary

Invitation to visit; Hooker will be present. Gives directions to Down. Also plans to invite John Lubbock over for an evening.

Summary

French translation of 3d edition of Origin has been greatly delayed.

Very pleased with CEB-S’s intent to write a review and with his near agreement. CD believes that so many really good judges concur with him in the main that his views will ultimately prevail. Continental reviews have been more positive than British ones. Édouard Claparède’s ["M. Darwin et sa théorie de la formation des espèces", Rev. Ger. 16 (1861): 523–59; 17 (1861): 232–63] is too favourable.

Summary

JL is going on a geological excursion with Joseph Prestwich and John Evans.

Summary

Accepts CD’s invitation.

Summary

Requests Oxalis acetosella, which he suspects is dimorphic.