My dear Sir

I am very much obliged to your kindness in having sent me the enclosed paper.² As it is chiefly directed against my views, it does not become me to make any remarks on what I think of its value. I must, however, protest against several quotations, which anyone w^d suppose were from my writings, but which appear to be extracted from some Indian Review.— I may be permitted also to protest against the statement at p. 3, which is absolutely the contrary to what I have imagined & stated in many places in my writings to have been the case.—

I do not believe M^r. C. has ever taken the trouble to read my Book³ or even my own abstract in my Journal:⁴ if he has, he has overlooked all my chief data & gives as new in his paper, what he might have found in my work.

As I do not treat of the zoology of coralls, I make free to urge you, before his Paper is published, to get some zoologist to skim it over, as his errors are very great & would be discreditable to any scientific publication to include.— I have marked a few places with pencil for your inspection: I have made this note more critical than I intended, but I hope you will excuse me.⁵

With my renewed thanks | Believe me | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin

Lieut Nelson R. J. has published a theory in Geolog. Trans vol 5. p. 103 on Bermuda,⁶ something like this, of Lieut Christophers.