Summary

Sends some Australian boiled beef for CD to sample.

Congratulations on George Darwin’s success at Cambridge.

Summary

Discussion of the pig in light of CD’s Variation.

Work of Hermann von Nathusius [Die Racen des Schweines (1860)].

Summary

CD appreciates the honour of being elected an Honorary Member of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society.

Summary

Forwards a letter from John Horner of Market Drayton, Shropshire, concerning £2000 he considers due to him from CD under the terms of the will of Sarah Bayley.

Summary

Thanks for congratulations on Francis Darwin’s success in the tripos examinations at the university of Cambridge.

The king of Prussia has awarded him the order Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste.

Summary

Describes his lectures on CD’s theory.

Thanks CD for copy of Variation. Comments on book.

Describes work of two protégés in Jena: Nicolas von Miklucho[-Maclay] and Anton Dohrn.

His cousin, Wilhelm Bleek, is sending an article about the origin of language.

Asks to keep book a few months longer but will return it if CD needs it [Webb and Berthelot, Histoire naturelle des Îles Canaries, vol. 3, pt 1: Géographie botanique (1840)].

Describes research on Siphonophora.

Describes life in Jena. Mentions alpine accident during wedding trip.

Summary

Delighted to hear of success of EH’s lectures.

Ernest Faivre [La variabilité des espèces (1868)] sees no reason to favour common descent of allied species.

Asks EH to pass German edition of Variation on to Gegenbaur.

Comments on work of Miklucho[-Maclay], Dohrn, and Bleek.

Has begun work on Descent.

Summary

There is so much detail in Variation that WDF will never be able to finish it. Some chapters, like that on reversion, are "curious".

Summary

Advance sale of Variation has exhausted the 1500 copies printed. Murray sends note for £300 author’s payment. Wants to print 1250 more immediately.

Summary

Discusses the origin and characters of sheep breeds, particularly the merino.

Reports observations on reversion to wild type in canary mules

and lists some animals that show a unique development restricted to one side of their bodies.

Summary

Would like a look at Nathusius.

Edward Blyth’s inability to recognise cats’ skulls.

Summary

Forwards a letter from Secretary of Yorkshire Philosophical Society. Hopes CD will honour them by accepting.

Has heard nothing of Variation.

Summary

Thanks for Variation.

Reports work on his travel book [The Malay Archipelago (1869)].

Summary

Colour differences in annelids and entozoa.

Summary

Thanks for loan of Variation. "The Saturday Sadducees" do not believe there are a hundred people who understand the argument. EC fancies he does.

Summary

Thanks CD for copy of Variation.

Discusses Pangenesis and considers CD’s "gemmules" comparable to his own hypothetical "physiological units" ["On alleged ""spontaneous generation"", and on the hypothesis of physiological units", appendix in The principles of biology, vol. 1 (1864)].

Summary

Asks that Gray forward a letter to J. T. Rothrock. Variation is selling well. Nearly all chapters were at least partially written before Origin was published.

Summary

On the colours of the nudibranch Mollusca. [See Descent 1: 326.]

Summary

Congratulates CD on George’s success at Cambridge.

Summary

Heartily glad for JM’s sake at sale [of Variation]. Thinks JM right to publish a smaller second edition, for "the public will soon find out that it is dull" – though scientifically valuable. The index is excellent. CD is "always greedy" for presentation copies.