Summary

Recalls being introduced to CD when [undergraduate] at Cambridge.

Sends CD some of his pamphlets

and expresses support of Origin.

Has discovered there are "3 sexes" in the solitary Cynips as well as social insects.

Summary

Glad to hear CD well again.

Will send Lythrum hyssopifolium flowers from Botanic Garden if they are in bloom; does not know where to find wild specimen, but thinks they are same as garden type.

Is finishing his course of lectures, which was attended by 35–45 people.

Summary

Collecting subscriptions for a school at Ford.

Summary

Would like to come to Down to visit.

Summary

Can understand EH’s feelings on death of his wife.

CD was impressed by manner in which species in South America are replaced by closely allied ones, by affinity of species inhabiting islands near S. America, and by relation of living Edentata and Rodentia to extinct species. When he read Malthus On population, the idea of natural selection flashed on him.

Agrees with EH’s remarks on Kölliker ["Darwin’sche Schöpfungstheorie", Z. Wiss. Zool. 14 (1864): 174–86].

Asks EH to thank Carl Gegenbaur [for Vergleichende Anatomie der Wirbelthiere (1864)].

Summary

CD will be proposed for the Copley Medal. Hugh Falconer wants information: list of all CD’s papers, dates of the voyage, things not judicious to mention, when his sickness came on, etc.

Summary

Eighty-two plants have germinated from earth on wounded partridge’s foot.

Summary

Sends Living Cirripedia [vol. 2].

Has employed translator for Fritz Müller’s book [Für Darwin (1864)].

Thanks for paper and speech.

Summary

Sends question [missing] for an ornithologist.

Is plodding on at Variation.

Has added to Climbing plants.

Summary

CD would like to see Rhamnus, as an American species is dimorphic.

Sends red cowslip pollen to be measured.

Summary

Acknowledges cancelled bond and thanks CD for declining to accept interest. Suggests 4 Mar 1865 as date for payment of the bill CD holds.

Summary

Response to ARW’s papers on Papilionidae ["On the phenomena of variation and geographical distribution", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 25 (1866): 1–71; abstract in Reader 3 (1864): 491–3],

and man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].

The former is "really admirable" and will be influential.

The idea of the man paper is striking and new. Minor points of difference. Conjectures regarding racial differences; the possible correlation between complexion and constitution. His Query to Army surgeons to determine this point. Offers ARW his notes on man, which CD doubts he will be able to use.

On sexual selection in "our aristocracy"; primogeniture is a scheme for destroying natural selection.

[Letter incorrectly dated March by CD.]

Summary

A regular column is to appear in the Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society on successful and failed interspecific crosses.

Summary

Thanks Balfour for Corydalis seed

and sends a photo of himself.

Summary

Does not know Scott’s qualifications to be curator at Kew.

Frankland’s theory of glaciers is absurd.

Has JDH heard claim that plants in Northern and Southern Hemispheres turn in opposite directions?

Are there plant families with no twining and climbing plants?

Summary

Reminds CWC that he offered to give information with respect to his observations on hollyhocks. Wishes he could persuade CWC to undertake experiments on the fertility of some crosses between the most distinct varieties.

Summary

Thanks for letter and memoirs.

Suggests a "rather hopeless experiment" of introducing poisons into tissues of plants on the chance that monstrous growths may be produced.

Summary

CD has thrown away injured partridge’s foot.

Summary

Has six months’ leave from the Admiralty because of his health; intends going to Europe for four months.

Summary

JDH’s opinion of Herbert Spencer.

Rejects CD’s view of inheritance of induced modifications.

Huxley grows fat.