Summary

BJS’s health much improved by his continental tour.

Summary

Reports on the funeral of Robert FitzRoy.

His own health has deteriorated and he must give up his work.

Summary

Would rejoice to see BJS at Down, but explains that he can only spend short spells of time in his company if he comes.

Summary

Would like to call on CD for an hour or so before leaving London to settle in Bournemouth.

Summary

Reports on his health.

Discusses a surveying expedition under Richard Charles Mayne on which his son will be Second Lieutenant; hopes to arrange for them to excavate some bones in the Falklands.

Summary

Discusses the South American mission.

Has been busy digging out fossil leaves from local Eocene deposits.

Summary

Thanks BJS for his account of S. America and the Fuegians.

Can BJS ask W. H. Stirling to make observations on expression?

Has asked Hooker about the fossil leaves, and he suggests they be sent to Oswald Heer.

Has just sent MS on domestic animals [Variation] to the printer.

Summary

Has given CD’s queries about expression to W. H. Stirling. Thomas Bridges, the catechist, had previously answered some questions incompletely [see 2643]; BJS forwards them [see Expression].

BJS answers CD’s query about when some calves show their adult colour.

Summary

Thanks BJS for W. H. Stirling’s answers [to queries about expression]

and for information on cattle and breeding of dogs.

Summary

Discusses a rare shell found by BJS on the Beagle voyage, an account of which has just been written by Davidson [possibly in Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 20 (1867): 81–3].

Summary

Gives CD the results of some calculations for "dip" over different distances, as requested.

Summary

Congratulations on George Darwin’s performance at Cambridge.

Summary

Sends photo of four Fuegians, including Jemmy Button’s son.

Reports incident of two wild stallions on the Falklands acting together in an attempt to take a troop of mares from an introduced English horse [see Descent 2: 241].

Summary

CD thanks BJS for photographs of Jemmy [Button]’s son

and for the curious case about stallions, which leads him to ask whether BJS has observed that horses when fighting try especially to bite each other’s necks.

Does he know anything about male seals fighting?

Summary

Writes of his son’s affairs.

Is reading Variation and discusses a point relating to feeding habits of horses.

Summary

Describes siege [of Montevideo].

Reports on appearance and habits of horses and cattle of Falkland Islands; wild rabbits and pigs. Geology of the Falklands, especially of West Island. Discusses supposed discovery of coal. Has sent fossil specimens to CD.

Summary

Tells of his health and family matters.

Congratulates CD on being honoured by Oxford.

Discusses the state of Tierra del Fuego and the success of missionaries there.

Summary

Congratulates BJS on his K.C.B.

In autumn he will publish a book partly on man [Descent], which he expects "many will decry as very wicked".

Thinks the success of the Tierra del Fuego mission is wonderful.

Summary

Sends copies of a mission magazine [missing] and discusses the missionaries’ work in S. America, especially that of Thomas Bridges and W. H. Stirling.

Summary

Thanks BJS for a journal and an interesting letter.