From H. W. Bates 30 September 1861
Summary
Discusses the mimicry of the Volucella flies, and the bees and wasps they mimic. Compares it with the different object of mimicry in butterflies.
Refers to incompleteness of Cuthbert Collingwood’s paper [? "On homophormism, or organic representative forms", Proc. Liverpool Lit. & Philos. Soc. 14 (1860): 181–216].
Thanks CD for help in selecting a publisher for his book [The naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)].
Author: | Henry Walter Bates |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 30 Sept 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.10: 92 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3271 |
From Daniel Oliver [after 8 October 1861]
Summary
Finds no trace of nectar in Stanhopea saccata.
Author: | Daniel Oliver |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [after 8 Oct 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.10: 31 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3280 |
From Thomas White Woodbury [9–22 October 1861]
Summary
Fancies articles on "The queen bee" and "Drone influence" [J. Hortic. 8 October 1861, p. 39] may be of interest. Since writing the latter, one of his drones hybridised a queen at a distance of a mile and a half.
Author: | Thomas White Woodbury |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [9–22 Oct 1861] |
Classmark: | Pinned to CD’s unbound copy of Journal of Horticulture, 8 October 1861, p. 38 (Darwin Library–CUL) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3280F |
From Asa Gray 11 October 1861
Summary
Notes several cases of "dioecio-dimorphism" in different genera; feels the discovery of pollen that will act only on the pistil of another flower is most important. Believes CD should next turn his attention to investigating cases of "precocious fertilisation".
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Oct 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 109: 82–3, DAR 110 (ser. 2): 117, DAR 111: 83 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3282 |
From Henry Wenman Newman [before 22 October 1861]
Summary
Replies to CD’s query (see 3778): the queens or females of the humble bees are not fertilised in the air. Offers a number of observations relating to the fertilisation of bees and wasps, which he has made in the course of sixty years.
Author: | Henry Wenman Newman |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before 22 Oct 1861] |
Classmark: | Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener, and Country Gentleman n.s. 2 (1861–2): 76–7. |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3292A |
From Charles Lyell 22 October 1861
Summary
Ice could not have formed the blockages in Lochaber unless in every case the water escaped over some col into a contiguous valley on the same watershed, or into the eastern watershed. Supposes that the cols were not land-straits, but the places where the lakes were drained when forced to flow the wrong way.
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Oct 1861 |
Classmark: | Natural History Museum, Library and Archives (General Special Collections DC AL 7/1) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3294F |
From T. F. Jamieson 24 October 1861
Summary
Discusses his observations at Glen Roy. Mentions glaciers seen by Hooker in the Himalayas. Discusses problems of glacier–lake theory.
Author: | Thomas Francis Jamieson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 24 Oct 1861 |
Classmark: | The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Gen.112/2828-9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3297 |
From Daniel Oliver 8 November 1861
Summary
Refers CD to a paper which he ought to know: Ch. Fermond, "Faits pour servir à l’histoire générale de la fécondation chez les végétaux", Recueil des travaux de la Société d’émulation pour les sciences pharmaceutiques 3 (1859).
Author: | Daniel Oliver |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 91: 83 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3312 |
From Asa Gray 9 November 1861
Summary
Discusses observations of his own and of John Torrey on dimorphism, especially in Amsinckia.
Is trying to find specimens of Houstonia for CD.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 9 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 110 (ser. 2): 63–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3313 |
From W. E. Darwin [17 November 1861]
Summary
Describes in detail his day at home and at the bank in Southampton.
Author: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [17 Nov 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.5: 3 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3320 |
From William Hugh Gower 23 November 1861
Summary
Sends notes on fertilisation of Victoria regia tending to show that impregnation with foreign pollen increases productivity of seeds.
Author: | William Hugh Gower |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 81 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3327 |
From George Bentham 26 November 1861
Summary
Remarks about Labiatae, Linum, Oxalis and Viola occasioned by hearing CD’s paper ["Two forms of Primula", read 21 Nov 1861, Collected papers 2: 45–63].
Author: | George Bentham |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 111: 73–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3331 |
From George Bentham 29 November 1861
Summary
Lists pairs of Oxalis species with differing proportions of stamens and styles.
Author: | George Bentham |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 29 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 109 (ser. 2): 121 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3332 |
From Alfred Russel Wallace 30 November 1861
Author: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 30 Nov 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3334 |
From H. W. Bates [1 December] 1861
Summary
Furnishes CD with more information on Volucella and gives him references relating to this and butterfly colourings. States that colours are not necessarily related to resting-places but rather an endowment to enable them to withstand adverse conditions.
Author: | Henry Walter Bates |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [1 Dec] 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.10: 93 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3336 |
From B. O’Neile Wilson 22 December 1861
Summary
Variation in instincts among domestic animals.
Author: | Benjamin O’Neile Wilson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Dec 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 118 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3348 |
From John Innes [24 December 1861]
Summary
Arrangements for sending Quiz.
Author: | John Brodie Innes |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [24 Dec 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 167: 6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3349 |
From Asa Gray 31 December 1861
Summary
Discusses dimorphism and suggests CD investigate Valeriana.
Praises CD’s views with respect to the U. S. Civil War and relations with England. Worsening relations between Britain and U. S.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 31 Dec 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 110 (ser. 2): 65, DAR 165: 104–105 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3354 |
From J. D. Hooker [29 December 1861]
Summary
Asks CD whether he hears from Asa Gray. JDH’s opinion of the crisis [Trent case, Nov 1861] and the American Civil War.
Julius von Haast alludes to glacial drift in Middle Island of New Zealand.
Backwardness of JDH’s son, Willy.
Encloses a reference from Daniel Oliver which may be useful.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [29 Dec 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 101: 1, 2a–c |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3374 |
From J. D. Hooker [30 December 1861 or 6 January 1862]
Summary
Glad CD has given up on Acropera ovules.
Doubts phanerogams less different in extreme forms [than Crustacea].
No systematic parallelism between plants and animals.
Offers list of Arctic plants with their colours. Asks CD whether it is useful to add colour to [descriptions of] plants.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [30 Dec] 1861 or [6 Jan] 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 101: 3–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3375 |
Bates, H. W. | (5) |
Gray, Asa | (4) |
Hooker, J. D. | (3) |
Jamieson, T. F. | (3) |
Oliver, Daniel | (3) |
Darwin, C. R. | (62) |
Bates, H. W. | (5) |
Gray, Asa | (4) |
Hooker, J. D. | (3) |
Jamieson, T. F. | (3) |