My dear Darwin

I am ashamed of not having written before, but have not been able to tell when I should be able to get down to Bromley, on account of Mr Bentham’s coming here next week & Profr. Henslow the following. I find however that I have Saturday & Sunday 7^th. & 8^th. to spare: if perfectly convenient to Mrs Darwin & yourself I should much enjoy a run down & look at your habitat. Do you want any observations made in New Zeald: I have a friend now there, a fair naturalist & acute careful observer, who is going to the Middle & Southern Isld^s. he is a Surgeon R.N. now acting Colonial Secretary to G^r. Fitzroy.—¹ We had a long letter from Capt Sulivan the other day from the Plate— ²

Brown (in Congo) says that the level of the sea in Tropics is not so rich in species as the temperate zone (or words to that effect), I never remarked that any one had said so before.³

I find, even down to the lower orders, the plants of Ascension are totally different from those of S^t. Helena. this is most remarkable as regards the Ferns.—of which there are 9 Ascension sp. only 2 (I think) of which are S^t. Helena’s.. Even the Jungermanniæ are different!— I expect no parallel to this is on record.

Ever your’s most truly | Jos D Hooker