Summary

High praise and detailed comments on JDH’s introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae, which CD has now finished reading.

Disagrees on power of transoceanic migration. Advocates glacial transport of plants.

CD’s response to reviews of Origin in Saturday Review [8 (1859): 775–6] and John Lindley’s in Gardeners’ Chronicle [but see 2651].

Summary

Comments on the great extent of variations and on the acknowledgment of the new idea of greater female variety.

Expresses belief that the glacial period did affect the tropics, though HWB’s arguments have confounded him.

Poses a series of questions concerning sexual selection.

Summary

CD writes on geographical distribution – "a grand game of chess with the world for a board".

Gives his hypothetical explanation why zoology of Cape [of Good Hope] is not so peculiar as its botany: it was once a group of islands – later united.

Tries hard to set forth the difficulties of his [species] theory.

Tells CJFB in confidence of his theory of the glacial epoch and its effect on plant distribution, such as identical species being found on summits of mountains in the tropics. Invites him to attack his "doctrine".

Summary

His first letter to JSH since December. Recounts his seasickness, geologising and marine collecting at St Jago [Santiago, Cape Verde Is.]; his first tropical forest. Collecting small insects from the tropics. His Welsh trip with Sedgwick has been extremely valuable.

Summary

Encloses letter from J. D. Hooker. Glad he will soon be home.

Everyone will be astonished at oaks and birches of tropics.

Summary

CD’s enjoyment of the beauty of the tropics is worth all the misery of seasickness. His mail gave him great pleasure. For two weeks he will visit a large estate in the country, and on return live at Botofogo for some weeks, collecting and learning to know the tropics.

Summary

The grass [see 6243] is Sporobolus elongatus, common in the tropics.

Visit to Oxford with X Club.

On his forthcoming address.

Summary

Requests information on ranges of echinoderms for his essay on variation [Natural selection]. Are there genera with representative species in northern and southern seas, but none in tropics?

Summary

Discusses his work [Flora fossilis Arctica, vol. 4, pt 1 (1876)].

Sends copy of [Fossile Pflanzen von Sumatra (1874)]. Comments on climate in Tertiary period, especially on Sumatra.

Comments on theory of Thomas Belt concerning climatic change in ice age.

Summary

Thanks CL for loan of [Matthew Fontaine?] Maury’s map.

Discusses possibility of submerged continental extension including Madeira, Canaries, and Azores.

Mentions icebergs as carriers of European plants.

Hooker’s work on Antarctic flora.

Comments on coolness of tropics in glacial period and consequent migrations. Hooker’s views on this.

Summary

Has been in bad health and has just read HWB’s MS in the last two days. Praises the book; assured it will be successful. Offers to write to Murray. Hooker interested in conclusions on colour.

Summary

Opposition to EB within the Asiatic Society.

Possibility of establishment of a zoological garden at Calcutta.

Has seen Gallus varius alive for the first time.

Will procure domestic pigeons for CD; could CD pay for them by returning hardy creatures, such as macaws and marmosets, which EB can sell for a high price in India?

Does not recall his authority for genealogy of the asses of Oman. If a genuine wild ass exists EB believes it will be in south Arabia.

Infertility of Irish and Devon red deer.

Details of an unusual species of wild dog.

Fertility of canine hybrids. General tendency toward hybrid sterility.

Has skins of hybrid Coracias and the parent species.

Wide-ranging species; skua found in Europe and Australia, but not in the tropics.

Summary

Would appreciate loan of CD’s chapter on transmigration across tropics, which may help with the difficulties of Australian distribution.

Still regards plant types as older than animal types.

The Cape of Good Hope and Australian temperate floras cannot be connected by the highlands of Abyssinia.

Summary

Argument, based on geographical distribution and competition, for a mundane glacial period rather than cooling of one longitudinal belt at a time.

Summary

Asks for information on geographical distribution of ascidians; are any closely allied species or genera found in north and south temperate zones that do not have representatives in the tropics?

Answers some questions on [cirripede] antennae.

If THH ever sees a tree washed ashore, will he observe whether any earth is embedded between roots?

Summary

Regrets leaving the tropics, despite interest in a land where Europeans have never been. They have experienced political turmoil at Montevideo. Natural history going well.

Summary

Gives his opinion on the tropical character of fossil shells listed by CD. The shells of Navidad [Chile] are not particularly tropical.

Summary

Had a pleasant week in London and is now enjoying Cambridge, where he is busy with work and social engagements.

Writes with great enthusiasm of his prospective trip to "the Tropics" [Canary Islands]. Henslow will cram him in geology. He is working regularly at Spanish.