Summary

Thanks PLS for his generous offer to go over the part on birds [in Descent]. Does not think PLS realises that there are more than 200 pages – most of which will have nothing new for him.

W. H. Hudson’s proofs have arrived ["Letters on the ornithology of Buenos Ayres", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1870): 87–9, 158–60, 332–4, 545–50, 671–3, 748–50, 798–82; (1871): 4–7, 258–62, 326–9].

Summary

Sends CD two books outlining a new geological theory. Believes his theory explains the discontinuities in the fossil record.

Summary

Discusses his present book [Descent].

Summary

Sends two sheets [of Descent] for correction of names of birds. PLS will save him many disgraceful misspellings. Descent now being prepared in five foreign editions.

Summary

Accepts PLS’s offer to read proofs of [Descent].

W. H. Hudson’s paper is interesting.

Summary

Praise for ARW’s reply [Nature 3 (1870): 49–50] to a paper by A. W. Bennett ["Natural selection from a mathematical point of view", Nature 3 (1870): 30–3] holding that mind is a leading cause of variation.

Is reading proof of his "confounded book" [Descent].

Summary

John Lubbock has nearly finished his Thysanura book [Monograph of the Collembola and Thysanura (1873)].

Summary

Has heard "sad tales" about CD’s forthcoming book [Descent]; does not think even CD can persuade him his ancestors were apes.

Summary

Sofya Kovalevsky not admitted to University in Berlin.

Translating the four sheets CD sent. When will book [Descent] be printed?

Alexander [Kovalevsky] has gone to the Red Sea to study corals.

Will work on live Scalpellum at Naples in spring.

Bemoans England’s Prussian sympathies. Paris will fall without bombardment.

Summary

Encloses a few answers to CD’s queries on expression. Continues to observe the expressions and habits of the Malays, Dyaks, and Saribus tribes [See Expression, pp. 21, 209].

Summary

Requests CD write in support of Government pension for her husband, George Cupples.

Summary

Concerning the Dutch edition of Descent.

Summary

Is pleased to hear that the translator for the Dutch edition [of Descent] is a person so well qualified [see 7384]. He encloses a facsimile of the title page. Reports arrangements with John Murray.

Summary

Reports case of apparent incipient dimorphism. Observations on variations in flower structure, especially style length, within species of Polemoniaceae.

Summary

W. C. Wells’s theory relating black skin-colour and immunity to malaria may be true. Has seen Negroes come down with fever, but these were generally light in colour.

Summary

Observations on winter colour of coats of male and female elk,

spots on deer,

and tuft of hair on breasts of wild female turkeys.

Summary

Ideas of female beauty of W. African Negroes are on the whole the same as those of Europeans.