Summary

Mention of Volucella.

Summary

F. Galton and others suggest that he go in for Fellowship [of Royal Society]. Asks that CD propose him. If he is unable to do so HWB will not be hurt to wait another year.

Summary

Accepts CD’s invitation.

Summary

Grieved to hear of CD’s illness; begs him not to give moment’s thought to his MS until health has returned.

Plans to exhibit mimetic butterflies at Linnean Society.

Summary

Books CD requested have been packed and sent.

He will present CD with the classified catalogue [of Royal Geographical Society].

He has not learned whereabouts of Thomas Staley.

Summary

Returns Gray’s review [of paper on mimetic analogy, Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 285–90]

and expresses his sorrow over CD’s health.

Summary

HWB thinks he can buy specimens of male and female insects at Mr Janson’s.

Summary

Encloses A. R. Wallace’s reply [in which he says he will undertake revision of Descent if CD wishes]. HWB says this shows that Wallace is unaware of the scope of revision; suggests need for well-defined terms.

Summary

Sends answer to Wedgwood’s query

and is sorry to hear CD is again unwell.

His book is progressing very slowly.

Asks that CD not make use of any of the facts about generative organs in beetles for he finds "such a chaos of statements" that facts are not to be depended upon.

Summary

Thanks CD for returned MS and letter with its good opinion. Asks CD to write to Murray.

Summary

HWB sends a copy [missing] of Boutakoff’s letter, explaining that the deer were saiga antelopes and the islands were new discoveries.

Summary

Because of work on the first number of the new Royal Geographical Society magazine, a manual of geography, and other things, HWB finds he must decline CD’s invitation.

Summary

Informs CD of K. G. Semper’s desire to meet him and to discuss new information on volcanic phenomena, geographical distribution, etc.

Summary

Ashamed that members of the Entomological Society have almost no information on sex ratio of bred insects in response to CD’s query of months ago. One exception, William Buckler, promises results. [See Descent 1: 313.]

Summary

He encloses a portrait and asks for one of CD.

He has sent mimetic paper to B. D. Walsh.

Mentions work at Royal Geographical Society on N. Pole business [plans for an Arctic expedition, eventually postponed until 1875–6].

Summary

He has been occupied with Royal Geographical Society anniversary meeting, but did go to Janson and selected various specimens for CD, some of which have remarkable stridulating organs.

The habits of Lethrus are found in Kirby and Spence’s Introduction [to entomology, 7th ed. (1856)].

Summary

Notes that Mr[s] Barber’s communication [forwarded by CD] will be published because of more striking than usual facts ["Notes on … larva and pupa of Papilio nireus", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1874): 519–21].

Encloses Thomas Belt’s address.

Summary

In addition to the drawing of a caterpillar which CD intends to use,

HWB sends information on differences of colour and pattern between the sexes of species of Papilio.

Argynnis diana and A. sagana have females that are brightly coloured, but these may be cases of protective mimicry.

Summary

Concern over Wallace’s book [Contributions to the theory of natural selection (1870)] and its apparent backsliding from Darwinian theory. HWB suggests that only CD is capable of criticising the book.

HWB hopes not too much was made over his few comments on man in M. F. Somerville’s book [Physical geography, revised ed. (1870)].

Summary

Finds no absolute differences in size of sexes of Copridae. Gives several other genera in which males are larger than females.

Confirms his view of stridulation organ of house cricket. [see Descent 1: 354–5.]

Tells CD of a powerful convert to Darwinism: H. von Kiesenwetter of Berlin.