Summary

CD sends thanks for information; will write about the fins.

His health is weak and he is "almost smothered" with facts and inquiries, so is trying to restrict the scope of his present work, on variation under domestication.

Summary

Answers TR’s query about stomata.

CD will use "weeping trees" as an example of how inexplicable the laws of inheritance are, and asks for facts on character of seedlings.

Summary

Asks JJB for date of his article in the Field dealing with the regeneration of fishes’ fins; additional questions about the fish.

Summary

His observations of "selection" in growth of seedling trees.

Summary

Answers D. Beaton’s criticism of Gärtner’s work, defending his results in crossing experiments and vindicating the memory of "one of the most laborious lovers of truth who ever lived".

Summary

Is pleased that CD has [Roland] Trimen to collect specimens of Cape orchids. Suggests directions for securing dry specimens of what he draws.

Identifies Disa barbata and D. Cornuta of the Ophridiae.

Summary

Thanks CL for "the great book" [Antiquity of man (1863)].

Richard Owen "ought to be ostracised by every Naturalist in England".

CL’s book will "give the whole subject of change of species an enormous advance".

Summary

Thinks he may be appointed Commodore commanding the Squadron on the west coast of S. America. Wishes to leave England for his health’s sake.

Summary

Hopes CD has received a copy of his [Manual of] Geology [1862]; justifies his assertion that geology provides no evidence to support the view that life has evolved through a method of development from species to species.

Summary

Hopes they might meet as WDF has to come to town.

Summary

Forwards a book [Horace Dobell, Lectures on the germs and vestiges of disease (1861)] and a genealogical table at the author’s request.

Summary

Thanks for informative letter of 2 February. CD is glad to have CVN’s opinion on the crossing of varieties of melons,

has made use of his memoir on the Cucurbitaceae ["Cucurbitacées cultivées au Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle en 1862", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 18 (1863): 159–208]

and anticipates with great interest his work on hybridisation.

Summary

On six-fingered men: suspects increase confined to metacarpals and digits. Has asked James Paget to look it up.

Summary

Has read Origin with satisfaction. He had long ago come to consider the fixity of species as contrary to the facts, but could see no suitable alternative. The Origin has brought the light to guide him.

Sends CD a copy of his latest work ["Mémoire sur la production artificielle des monstruosités", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 243–76]. Hopes to explain a great number of anomalies by his experimental work on artificially produced monstrosities.

Summary

Invites WDF to Down.

His stomach now so bad he cannot stay, even with close relations, for more than half an hour at a time.

Summary

Sends some tickets so that CD’s son might see [an unspecified] model.

Summary

Has been unable to find a book [unspecified] wanted by CD.

Summary

Plans to meet CD in town.

Summary

Sends his paper ["Über Dichogamie nach C. C. Sprengel und Ch. Darwin", Bot. Ztg. (1863): 1–7, 9–16].

Summary

Delighted by curious case of inheritance in the weeping ash [cited in missing letter from TR] "which produced weeping seedlings and itself lost the weeping peculiarity!" Wishes he could get authentic information on the weeping elm.

What TR says of seedlings conquering each other well illustrates struggle for existence and natural selection.