Summary

Thanks CD for his endowment of new Steudel’s Nomenclator [later to become Index Kewensis].

K. White’s gruesome ballad "Gondoline" frightened JDH as a child.

Summary

B. D. Jackson’s plan for new Steudel Nomenclator approved. JDH asks for CD’s cheque.

Summary

Politics at Kew led to a letter of thanks to CD from the First Commissioner for his gift.

Summary

CD sends cheque for £250 [see 13620].

Summary

Falconer’s misbehaviour.

Geology of Khashia [Khasi] mountains. Speculations on mountain building and origin of Himalayas.

Summary

Arrangements to dine at JDH’s club.

Summary

Discusses books returned

and invites him to Down for a few days.

Summary

Wants catalogue of small islands that contain peculiar plants. Thinks complete floras of islands in various stages of depression [subsidence] would provide good data.

Summary

James Wilson reports case of salmon hybrids.

Herrings inhabit freshwater lake in Scotland during winter.

JDH will edit juror reports for the Great Exhibition.

Summary

Flora of New Zealand.

Reconsidering variability of insular species.

Becoming convinced of the probability that the southern flora is a fragmentary one – all that remains of a great southern continent.

Summary

Cancelled: draft of 1496.

Summary

Questions on variation in nature: taxa varying in one region but not another. Variation between vs within species. Rarity of variation in important organs within a species. G. R. Waterhouse’s views on variation in highly developed organs, which CD relates to variation in rudimentary organs.

Asks for cases of obligate self-fertilising plants.

[CD annotation proposes using the Steudel Nomenclator botanicus (1821–4) to determine if variable species occur in genera with many species.]

Summary

Detailed response to MS of introductory essay to [The botany of the Antarctic voyage, pt II] Flora Novae-Zelandiae [1853–5]. CD will curse JDH when, in a year or two, he is at his species book, for "having put so many hostile facts so confoundedly well".

Summary

Further response to MS of introductory essay to Flora Novae-Zelandiae.

Disbelieving in permanence of species has made little difference to CD in his barnacle work.

Summary

Returning JDH’s MS and books.

Reading Mrs Gaskell’s Ruth [1853].

Summary

Royal Society votes its Royal Medal for 1853 to CD. JDH reports the debate and vote at the Royal Society Council.

Honoured for Coral reefs

and Cirripedia.

Summary

Edward Sabine’s official letter announcing CD’s receipt of Royal Society Medal left him cold. JDH’s informal one moved him.

Applauds JDH for supporting John Lindley.

Summary

List of most anomalous Leguminosae [from George Bentham].

Summary

Has received JDH’s book [Himalayan journals (1854)]. Is very gratified by the dedication to him.

Summary

Thanks JDH for dedication of Himalayan journals. CD praises the work and suggests stylistic revisions.

Lyell’s remarks on lava beds in letter from Madeira are not original – they refer exclusively to Élie de Beaumont’s data.