To Philip Lutley Sclater 12 May [1862]
Summary
Asks for information about japanned peacocks from Hudson [John Henry?] Gurney’s flock.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Philip Lutley Sclater |
Date: | 12 May [1862] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.276) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3543 |
To W. D. Fox 12 May [1862]
Summary
Asks if WDF has ever crossed wild and common turkeys. Would like to quote his authority [see Variation 1: 292].
Also curious whether WDF has known the so-called japanned peacock to appear from common peacock [Variation 1: 290].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 12 May [1862] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 132) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3544 |
To P. L. Sclater 14 May [1862]
Summary
Asks for information about peacocks, especially Pavo nigripennis. Suggests a crossing experiment.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Philip Lutley Sclater |
Date: | 14 May [1862] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.277) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3545 |
To J. D. Hooker 15 [May 1862]
Summary
Yellow anthers of Heterocentron produce on the same plant thrice as many seeds as the crimson anthers. Crimson anther seeds produce dwarf plants, others rise high up. Monochaetum ensiferum facts are still more strange. Wants to investigate the case, and asks for a plant of the Melastomataceae just before flowering.
Has JDH a Rhododendron boothii from Bhutan with pistil bent the wrong way?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 15 [May 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 151 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3548 |
To W. D. Fox [17 May 1862]
Summary
Thanks WDF for interesting letter about turkeys. Would be grateful for information on fertility of the hybrids.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | [17 May 1862] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 133) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3555 |
To J. D. Hooker [18 May 1862]
Summary
Leschenaultia seems very odd. Will try with pollen left on for 48 hours. Illustrates diversity of structures for same purpose.
Bentham’s and Oliver’s good opinion of Orchids is reassuring.
Anxious to experiment on Melastomataceae; thinks it will give important results.
Wants Leschenaultia formosa to try whether viscid outside surface can be fertilised.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | [18 May 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 154 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3558 |
To Alexander Goodman More 18 May [1862]
Summary
Asks AGM to experiment on Epipactis palustris.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alexander Goodman More |
Date: | 18 May [1862] |
Classmark: | Royal Irish Academy (A. G. More papers RIA MS 4 B 46) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3560 |
To A. R. Wallace 24 [May 1862]
Summary
Quarterly Review piece written by Bishop Wilberforce with aid of Owen.
Other reviews mentioned.
Health.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
Date: | 24 [May 1862] |
Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434: 25) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3570 |
To J. D. Hooker 30 May [1862]
Summary
Has received Melastoma and Vanilla.
Has seen again the two sets of plants of Heterocentron raised from two lots of pollen from same flower – a marvellous difference in stature.
"But oh Lord what will become of my book on variation: I am involved in a multiplicity of experiments."
Observations on Viola.
CD’s fancied dimorphism of Oxalis is all a confounded mistake; only great variability in length of pistils.
Found Henslow’s life [L. Jenyns, Memoir of the Rev. J. S. Henslow (1862)] interesting but fears the public will think it dull.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 30 May [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 152 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3575 |
To W. E. Darwin [31 May 1862]
Summary
Wants WED to forward dried Malaxis to G. C. Oxenden.
Has been dissecting Viola flowers.
[Letter from Emma Darwin to WED, verso p. 3.]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Date: | [31 May 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.6: 98 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3580 |
To John Higgins 1 June 1862
Summary
Acknowledges receipt of £240 7s. 9d.
Hopes to meet JH at Erasmus Alvey Darwin’s house in London on Friday 6 June.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Higgins |
Date: | 1 June 1862 |
Classmark: | Dominic Winter Auctioneers (dealers) (10 April 2019, lot 138) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3581F |
To Daniel Oliver [before 11 June 1862]
Summary
Asa Gray approves of Orchids; his work on American species confirms CD’s findings.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Daniel Oliver |
Date: | [before 11 June 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.10: 33 (EH 88206016) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3583 |
To A. G. More 7 June [1862]
Summary
Suspects that bee orchid is self-fertilising form of Ophrys arachnites, which requires insect aid.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alexander Goodman More |
Date: | 7 June [1862] |
Classmark: | Royal Irish Academy (A. G. More papers RIA MS 4 B 46) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3591 |
To Daniel Oliver 8 June [1862]
Summary
Describes floral anatomy of a Catasetum sent by DO.
Has gone on from orchids to studying insect agency in Pelargonium.
His doubts on the worth of publishing Orchids.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Daniel Oliver |
Date: | 8 June [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.10: 32 (EH 88206015) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3592 |
To Journal of Horticulture [before 10 June 1862]
Summary
Asks whether any correspondents have observed any sensible differences between the bees kept in different parts of Great Britain. CD has heard from several sources that breeds of bee in different areas vary.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Journal of Horticulture |
Date: | [before 10 June 1862] |
Classmark: | Institut de France, Bibliothèque (Ms 2441-XII ff. 343–4) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3594 |
To Asa Gray 10–20 June [1862]
Summary
Thanks AG for praise of Orchids and his notes on several American species of orchid. Comments on AG’s observations.
Is experimenting [on dimorphism] with Rhexia and Melastoma.
Asks AG’s opinion of a paper by Thomas Meehan ["On the uniformity of relative characters between allied species of European and American trees", Proc. Philadelphia Acad. Nat. Sci. (1862): 10–13] which is the best case of the apparently direct action of the conditions of life CD has seen.
Requests postage stamp for his ill son [Leonard].
Thanks AG for observations on Cypripedium and gives recent observations of his own.
Arethusa is very pretty; structure seems like that of Vanilla.
Finds the little (so-called imperfect) flowers of Viola and Oxalis curious: the pollen-grains emit their tubes whilst within the anthers, and they travel in straight lines right to the stigmas.
Sympathises with events in the U. S.
Reports on French translation of Origin by Mlle C. Royer, "one of the cleverest & oddest women in Europe".
Alphonse de Candolle says he wants direct proof of natural selection; "he will have to wait a long time for that".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 10–20 June [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (66) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3595 |
To H. W. Bates 11 June [1862]
Summary
Encloses a question [missing] concerning language [from Hensleigh Wedgwood].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Henry Walter Bates |
Date: | 11 June [1862] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.284) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3596 |
To J. D. Hooker 11 June [1862]
Summary
Sorry to hear of Mrs Hooker’s health and domestic problems. Wishes natural selection had produced neuters who would not flirt or marry.
Will be eager to hear Cameroon results.
Wishes JDH would discuss the "mundane glacial period". Still believes it will be "the turning point of all recent geographical distribution".
Pollen placed for 65 hours on apparent (CD still thinks real) stigma of Leschenaultia has not protruded a vestige of a tube.
"Oliver the omniscient" has produced an article in Botanische Zeitung with accurate account of all CD saw in Viola.
Asa Gray’s "red-hot" praise of Orchids [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 34 (1862): 138–51].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 11 June [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 155 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3597 |
To Leonard Horner 13 June [1862]
Summary
Sends condolences on death of LH’s wife. Recalls many pleasant hours in Bedford Place. He and Emma thank LH for sending the memorial paper.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Leonard Horner |
Date: | 13 June [1862] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (MS.2216:167) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3599 |
To Patrick Matthew 13 June [1862]
Summary
It would be a pleasure to see "the first enunciator of the theory of Natural Selection" but his health makes it impossible. Hopes to come to London soon and would like to arrange an interview with PM if he is staying more than a week.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Patrick Matthew |
Date: | 13 June [1862] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (Acc.10963) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3600 |
letter | (251) |
Hooker, J. D. | (40) |
Gray, Asa | (16) |
Darwin, W. E. | (15) |
Bates, H. W. | (13) |
Oliver, Daniel | (13) |