thank you for telling me about the pliocene mammal,² which is very remarkable; but has not Owen stated that the pliocene badger is identical with the recent?³ Such a case does indeed well show the stupendous duration of the same form. I have not heard of Suess’ pamphet,⁴ and should much like to learn the title, if it can be procured; but I am on different subjects just at present. I should rather like to see it rendered highly probable that the process of formation of a new species was short compared to its duration; that is if the process was allowed to be slow and long: the idea is new to me.— Heer’s view that new species are suddenly formed like monsters, I feel a conviction from many reasons is false.—⁵ Whenever I come to London I have several little things to ask about; but when that will be I do not know. I have had a bad summer with much sickness of late, and we are all going to Malvern for a month, and start in a week’s time.⁶ I have managed to do this summer a fair share of work and have been greatly interested by the spontaneous movements and irritability of tendrils and twining plants; but only a little of my work is new.—⁷ Do you remember telling me that I ought to study phyllotaxy;⁸ well I have often wished you at the bottom of the sea; for I could not resist, and I muddled my brains with diagrams etc. and specimens and made out, as might have been expected, nothing. Those angles are a most wonderful problem and I wish I could see someone give a rational explanation of them.⁹

I am tired, so good night.

My dear Friend, | Yours very Sincerely. | Ch. Darwin.