Summary

Disappointed to put off CL’s visit because of illness of CD’s sister [Susan], but hopes to see him in October.

Thanks for lending pamphlet [L. Agassiz, Geology of the Amazons]. Agassiz has written "wild nonsense".

Refers to a translation of Pictet and Humbert’s "capital" paper on fossil fish ["Recent researches on the fossil fishes of Mount Lebanon", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 18 (1866): 237].

Hooker’s lecture at BAAS Nottingham meeting.

Summary

Comments on proofs [of Principles of geology, 10th ed. (1867–8)]: CL does not allude to the specialisation of classes.

Discusses CL’s argument from the absence of Cetacea in Secondary rocks;

finds his discussion of man "superfluous and too orthodox".

Summary

More comments on proofs [of CL’s Principles of geology, 10th ed.]. Discusses permanence of continents and other points.

Refers to passage describing evaporation of snow in Journal [of researches, pp. 277–8].

Cites astronomers’ views on increasing length of day.

Summary

Thanks CL for copy of his "grand book" [Principles of geology, 10th ed., vol. 1 (1867)]. Congratulates him on additions.

Summary

Remarks on his illness and treatment.

Discusses MS [of Coral reefs] and changes in his view of coral reefs since Journal of researches. Mentions C. G. Ehrenberg’s observations on coral reefs.

Summary

Comments on a discussion of humming-birds by the Duke of Argyll [in The reign of law (1867)].

Encloses article by Henry Parker on the Duke’s book [Saturday Rev. 23 (1867): 82–4].

Summary

Discusses hybridisation in cowslip and primrose.

Mentions proposed visit.

Summary

CD probably advised omitting mention of experiments suggesting that oxlips, cowslips, and primroses could be produced from the seed of a single plant

Summary

Curious to read what CD will say on man and his races.

Has CD seen Ludwig Rütimeyer’s Ueber die Herkunft unserer Thierwelt (Rütimeyer 1867c)?

Discusses J. F. W. Herschel’s theory of active volcanoes existing at the junction of continents and the sea.

Summary

Chapter 12 [of Variation] finished;

too late to include information on six-fingered men. Plans for book on man [Descent].

Mentions coral reefs of Tahiti.

Discusses volcanic islands; volcanoes of the Cordillera.

Summary

Comments on proof-sheets of Variation.

His revisions of Principles of geology, 10th ed.

Summary

Thanks CL for comments [on Variation].

Thinks Pangenesis would be important step in biology if admitted as probable.

Introduction to French edition [of Origin] has injured the book.

Summary

Replies to CL’s further comments [on Variation].

Discusses direct action of the environment as a cause of variation.

Summary

Describes seeds transported in locust dung. Discusses other cases of transport and migration.

Summary

Discusses transport of frog spawn and young molluscs by birds.

Summary

Asks to borrow Philosophical Transactions, vol. 157, pt 2 (1868).

Summary

Answers a number of queries from Lyell concerning geography and geology of Chiloé Island and its relationship to the Cordilleras.

Asks about "perched rocks" on Jura and notes their relevance to Louis Agassiz’s theory. Discusses Agassiz’s view on Jura.

Mentions seeing Robert Brown.

Notes R. I. Murchison’s discovery of shells in central England.

Weakness of negative evidence.

Summary

Discusses the role of ice in determining the geological features of the Jura. Mentions view of Agassiz. Objects to idea of "a [sea of ice] carrying rocks". Notes Agassiz’s earlier view of "ice expanded in the line of the Great Swiss Valley". Comments on Pentlands.

Summary

Defends his theory [in "Parallel roads of Glen Roy" (1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137] against the view that the "roads" were formed by glacial action.

Summary

Discusses at length Louis Agassiz’s book [Études sur les glaciers (1840)] and Agassiz’s explanation of moraines. Defends his own theory of the importance of floating ice. Relates glacier theory to his own interpretation of Glen Roy.

Mentions a paper he is writing on South American boulders and till [Collected papers 1: 145–63].