Summary

In answer to CD’s queries, relates further details about feral sheep: they are sterile when wild, but can become tame again.

Summary

Gives account of inherited blindness in a family,

and observations contravening CD’s view in Variation that sheep and other domestic animals never run wild.

Summary

Thanks for abstract of Moseley’s paper on motion of glaciers [see 6599]. Reading it convinced him that Tyndall’s received view is wrong. Has formed a new view, which he has sent to Philosophical Magazine [4th ser. 37 (1869): 201–6].

Summary

Requests authorisation to translate Journal of researches into French.

Summary

Numerical proportion of males to females in greyhound puppies.

Summary

Replies to CD’s questions. Advice on use of term "morphology". Is much struck by CD’s idea that uniformity of an organ throughout a group implies functional inutility; the paradox of this position for classification.

Summary

Huxley has shown him the jaws of an Anoplotherium brought from the Gallegos by R. O. Cunningham.

Saw Hallett’s wheat crops at Brighton; results of his selection very striking.

Huxley is assembling his Darwiniana papers for republication.

Has written a crushing reply to Richard Congreve ["The scientific aspects of positivism", Fortn. Rev. n.s. 5 (1869): 653–70] and JDH feels "infantine" beside him.

Comments on Sabine’s being offered and accepting K.C.B.

Summary

Thanks CD for his orchid paper ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56]. Comments briefly on orchids.

Discusses moths in which the wing underside is the most brightly coloured, and relates his observations on sexual selection by a moth, Syntomis.

Summary

Pleased by CD’s good opinion and offer to provide material. Discusses work he would do on cirripedes.

Moritz Wagner’s views on migration of species;

his doubts about Fritz Müller’s views on developmental stages of Crustacea.

Summary

Will use new English edition [5th, of Origin] in preparing for [4th] German edition. Bronn’s translation of Origin in the title as "Entstehung" is not so precise as "Ursprung" would be. The publisher does not object to changing the title, but JVC is doubtful, because the Origin is so well known in Germany as Entstehung. Asks CD’s opinion.

Summary

On stridulation of Coleoptera, Trox sabulosus, Mutilla. [See Descent 1: 380.]

Summary

Reports on prehistoric finds from caves at Rhagatt.

Summary

Reports on the sales of Variation; discusses the difficulties of inserting additions and corrections.

Summary

Describes the floral structure and fertilisation of some melastomes;

discusses the direct agency of insects in modifying the structure of flowers.

Summary

Would like CD’s opinion on his "theory of organic disturbance" and his "law of organic combination"; hopes CD might notice them in the Academy.

Writes of his unfortunate circumstances.

Summary

Corrects T. M. Brewer’s statement, cited in the Origin, that the American cuckoo never uses other birds’ nests. [See Origin, 5th ed., p. 266.]