Summary

Thanks for Hewitson [British oology].

Has found more variability in birds’ nests than he expected.

Interested in WDF’s note about turkey terrified by a frog [see Natural selection, p. 488 n.].

Summary

CD and J. D. Hooker have differed on the following question and agreed to ask several botanists: would a good botanist describing a local flora record varieties as readily in large as in small genera?

Summary

Fertilisation of clover by bees in New Zealand.

Uneasy about biggest genera and their varieties.

H. T. Buckle’s sophistry [History of civilisation in England (1857)].

Working on bees’ cells.

Summary

Congratulations on birth of THH’s daughter [Jessie].

On aboriginal dun colour of horses.

Examples of inaccuracies and perpetuation of errors [on hybrids] by "compilers, of which I am one".

Summary

CD intends to enter WED at Christ’s College.

Thanks him for inquiries made about horses.

Summary

JDH has confirmed CD’s opinion on the affinities of species in great genera. Is looking at large genera in several local Floras to find the "range & commonness of varying species".

Has been "beyond measure interested" in the construction instincts of the hive-bee.

Summary

WDF’s nephew has forgotten to mention the most important element, whether the lizards’ eggs floated and stayed alive on sea-water.

Thanks for facts about turkeys and terrier [see Natural selection, p. 481 n.].

Summary

Notes views of Hooker and George Bentham on monotypic forms.

Has tabulated several floras and finds that large genera show preponderance in numbers of varieties. Now sees his results are quite worthless.

Summary

C. P. Smyth’s observations on geology and natural history of Tenerife are not precise enough to warrant publication in Philosophical Transactions. Suggests CPS draw up an abstract, for the Proceedings, of specific points actually observed, rather than conclusions arrived at on insufficient grounds.

Summary

C. C. Babington agrees with JDH that botanists tend to note varieties more in large genera than in very small ones.

Summary

Four queries regarding the habits of bees and ants with answers by FS interlined between each query.

Summary

Asks whether correspondent can assist in determining value of slate slabs with relief figures executed for Josiah Wedgwood [I].

Summary

Heartened that tabulations of small and large genera done in different ways yield good results. JDH has done some tabulations but has not followed CD’s method of getting equal numbers of small and large genera.

Summary

In great want of two books, which he had borrowed previously: Boreau Flora du Centre de la France and A. E. Fürnrohr, Naturhistorische Topographie von Regensburg, Bd 2 Flora Ratisbonensis.

Summary

JDH’s "objection" that small local genera do not vary and mundane ones do, is exactly CD’s point. Local floras useful to test idea that varieties are incipient species. Same genus in different countries cannot be lumped.

Summary

Thanks JDH for his objections; will respond by sending fair copy of MS when written.

Summary

Recommends Leonard Horner’s "Account of some recent researches near Cairo" for publication in Philosophical Transactions [R. Soc. Lond. 148 (1858): 53–9]. Believes all the details and sections should be published in full because of importance of investigations leading to the conclusion that man has existed in Egypt for over 13000 years.

Summary

Writing section on large and small genera [for Natural selection, ch. 4].

Huxley supersedes Owen on parthenogenesis.

Buckle’s History of civilisation in England extremely interesting.

Summary

Discusses the variation of species in large and small genera.

Thanks AG for his list of close species.

Laments the slow progress he makes with his book [Natural selection].

Summary

Asa Gray’s criticism of Buckle and his comments on large and small genera.

CD suspects glacial epoch immensely long. Rates of organic change too variable to make them a good measure of geological time.

Bees’ cells are a difficulty for theory.