Summary

Returns letter mailed by mistake [see 4361].

Hopes CD will accept gift of his Radiolarien [Die Radiolarien, 2 vols. (1862)].

Summary

Remarks on ARW’s review of Samuel Haughton’s paper on bees’ cells

and Origin.

Agassiz’s strength as geologist and weakness in natural history theory.

Work problems.

His butterfly collection.

Problems with book on Malay journey.

Recommends Herbert Spencer and his Social statics.

Spencer’s "masterly" nebular hypothesis.

Summary

Has seen that ARW has read a paper to the Linnean Society.

Thinks that Herbert Spencer’s Social Statics (Spencer 1851) would be too deep for him.

Summary

Calls CD’s attention to an article by Paul Janet.

Summary

Asks CD’s opinion on the accuracy of stating that barley and wheat are different varieties of the same species.

Summary

Has finished correcting Primula paper [see 4332].

Has presented paper on monoecious spikes of maize [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 213–20].

Summary

CD thinks JS’s Primula paper is fit for publication; he will send it on to the Linnean Society.

Summary

JL’s article on Huxley’s "Lectures [to working men]".

Planning a volume of essays [Prehistoric times (1865)].

Summary

Glad CD is sending his Primula paper to Linnean Society.

Sends promised Linum seeds.

Summary

Regrets sending his MS missing two pages.

Has proofs of his paper on the monoecious spikes of maize [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 213–20].

J. H. Balfour objected to notion of maize descent from a hermaphrodite.

Reading of JS’s paper on Selaginella hybrid [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 192–9] deferred until March. Believes it is first example of experimentally produced hybridity in higher cryptogams.

Summary

Urges Emma to bring CD to hydropathic establishment at Forres.

Summary

Asks CD to sign certificate nominating Flower for Royal Society.

Summary

CD very ill.

Suspects F. Boott’s widow is illegitimate granddaughter of Erasmus Darwin.

CD, like JDH, has speculated that agrarian weeds have become adapted to cultivated ground. Suggests comparison with country of origin.

Wallace’s praise of Herbert Spencer’s Social statics baffles CD.

[Letter completed by E. A. Darwin.]

Summary

On his deathbed her husband [Francis] expressed admiration for CD.

Summary

Has verified J. M. Bechstein’s contention that species of finches hybridise.

Quotes Thomas Bewick’s observations on hybrids between pheasants and common fowl. RGM had often noticed so-called "pheasant fowl", but thought it was a foreign bird.

Summary

Collecting subscriptions for a school at Ford.

Summary

Sends his MS of orchid paper ["A few notes on the fecundation of orchids and their morphology", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 127–35] for CD to send to an editor.

CD was right about Catasetum sexes.

Ficus experiments fail.

Summary

Family affairs.

Mrs Innes’ brother-in-law has died.

Summary

JDH’s opinion of Herbert Spencer.

Rejects CD’s view of inheritance of induced modifications.

Huxley grows fat.

Summary

CD’s illness.

The difficulty of getting John Scott to publish his work. Has sent Scott’s paper [on Primulaceae] to Linnean Society. CD is sure it is valuable.