a favorable review of what the author is pleased facetiously to call the Darwinian Theory.² Funnily enough, the writer makes the same silly mistake that Agassiz made, & argues throughout on the supposition that Darwinism means the transmutation of species through the “conditions of life”, utterly ignoring Natural Selection.³ Certainly the fools are not all dead yet.

As you may see from the heading of this Paper, I am now Sole Editor of the “Practical Entomologist”.⁴ I have sent you a number or two of it, which I thought contained matter that might possibly interest you.⁵ I wish you would correct any errors into which you may notice that I have fallen there or elsewhere. For example, Osten Sacken tells me that modern research has shown that Ornithorhynchus parodoxus is not oviparous. Is this so? And how came such a mistake to be made?⁶ I have seen the statement in I don’t know how many books.

If you happen to know any Ornithologist who wishes to exchange European Birds for North American birds, I have a particular friend here, “D^r. Velie, Rock Island, Illinois”, who has a very fine collection & is an excellent manipulator of bird’s-skins.⁷ He is also an honorable man to exchange with, which is more than can be said of certain naturalists. But don’t put yourself to any trouble on account of this matter.

The conclusion of my Paper on Willow Galls is at last about to be printed. It was finished last summer, but the Society being short of funds could not print it until now. When published I shall of course do myself the pleasure to send you a copy.⁸

Yours ever very truly, | Benj. D. Walsh.

Chas. Darwin Esq.

P.S. I suppose you heard long ago of the Human Skull found in California in Pliocene rock, covered by two solid strata of lava. Authority Prof. Whitney, one of our best geologists.⁹ Casts said to have been sent to Europe.