Summary

Glad to hear Wallace is contender for Gold Medal. Has highest esteem for his extraordinary talents.

Thanks for H. Barkly’s letter from Mauritius.

Glad to see HB takes same view as CD about bones of deer [see 5395].

Objections to continental extension theory.

Progress [on Variation] very slow.

Summary

Discusses his previous criticisms of EH’s Generelle Morphologie. Fears it will make enemies.

Discusses reception of descent theory in England.

Mentions EH’s trip to Canary Islands.

Summary

Sends a notice on a reptile intermediate between true Triassic reptiles and Devonian fishes ["Sur le reptile (Actinodon)", C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. 63 (1866): 341–4].

Expresses his admiration for CD, and his growing sense that transformation of species is probable, though he does not share CD’s explanation of the cause. He avoids the question, since he lacks requisite knowledge and is convinced that there are causes of which God alone knows the secret.

Summary

Praises Dareste’s work on teratology; is convinced that it will be highly valued.

Is working on Variation; will send a copy when published.

Summary

Acknowledges receipt of £159 11s. 2d.

Glad to hear that the cottages are nearly finished.

Summary

Does not share CD’s objection to continental extension, i.e., that it must be extended to every island in every ocean.

Sends paper on domesticated animals by Brian Hodgson [J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 16 (1847): 1003–26].

Summary

Thanks for information on sexual differences.

Orchids; self-sterility and difficulty of getting seeds to germinate.

Dimorphism.

Summary

It was foolish of him to say a word about continental extensions so briefly that he thinks JDH misunderstood him.

Summary

CD has come to think a name better than "Pangenesis" is needed. Asks GHD to get a suggestion from a classics scholar. "Cell-genesis wd be perfect if it cd be put into Greek."

Summary

Is much obliged for AG’s two memoirs ["Mémoire sur le reptile découvert par M. Frossard", Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. 3 (1867): 21–40; Bull. Soc. Géol. France 2d ser. 24 (1867): 397–400].

All "inosculating forms" are very interesting to CD.

Agrees with AG on the importance of attempts to affiliate extinct and existing species.

Will send French edition of Variation when published.

Summary

Wrote to J. B. E. Bornet on CD’s behalf, declining the offer of seeds of Draba. But now Bornet writes that he is sending seeds to CD anyway [see 5592].

Corrects his previous description of the fertilisation of Indigofera.

Summary

Sheets dispatched. Book [French edition of Variation] not so large as expected.

Summary

Offers to send Benoît de Maillet’s Telliamed [1750].

Encloses a letter [16 May 1867] from John Anderson, a nurseryman, giving information on budding of blotched ash at the nursery.

Summary

Obliged for case of grafted ash.

Asks about pods of Arabis.

Would like to borrow Maillet [Telliamed (1750)].

Summary

Has crossed pods of Arabis blepharophylla larger than normal ones.

Sends Telliamed as gift.

Summary

Details of Arabis crosses. Seed-pods of A. blepharophylla and A. soyeri crosses are longer and wider than those of either species.