Summary

Comments on David Milne’s paper ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber" (1847), Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418]. CD still believes in marine origin. Rejects barrier of detritus at mouth of Glen Roy. If roads were formed by lake, it must have been ice-lake.

Comments on evidence of glaciers and icebergs in North Wales. Thinks pass caused by tidal channel, not river. Suggests that RC make altitude measurements at various points.

Summary

Comments on paper by DM ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber", (1847) Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418]. "I am not in the least convinced about the Barriers … [but] I am very much staggered in favour of the ice-lake theory of Agassiz & [William] Buckland." Will "send a letter to the Scotsman, in which I give briefly my present impression".

Cites facts mentioned in South America possibly of use to DM.

Summary

Comments on article by David Milne ["On the parallel roads of Lochaber" (1847), Trans. R. Soc. Edinburgh 16 (1849): 395–418]. Refers to his paper on Glen Roy [Collected papers 1: 87–137]. Comments on Louis Agassiz’s article ["The glacial theory and its recent progress", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 33 (1842): 217–83]. Cites his own observations on glaciers in N. Wales. Discusses possibility of ice barrier creating lake. Notes objections to theory of an ice barrier. Defends his own theory that the roads are sea-beaches. Suggests questions for further investigation.

Summary

Thanks Mrs Lyell for barnacle specimens.

Mentions Agassiz’s classification of saurians.

Discusses letter from Chambers on "roads" in Scottish glens; views of Agassiz and Buckland on the glens.

Is reading Hugh Miller [First impressions of England and its people (1847)].

Summary

Mystified by the origin of coal-plants.

Milne’s Glen Roy theory is absurd but, oddly, it has staggered CD in favour of Agassiz’s ice-lake theory.

Summary

Supposition that glaciers made Glen Roy is a dream. Has received three letters from CD on river terraces. Reports on trip to terraces at Belleville. Comparison with Glen Roy.

Summary

Flattered by JBJ’s discussion of coral reefs [in Voyage of H.M.S. "Fly" 1 (1847): 347–8]. CD has always thought his Coral reefs "too bold and speculative", so he is gratified "when anyone who has had opportunities of observation does not give his verdict against it".

Summary

Discusses enclosed figures on elevation of terraces in several Scottish glens as surveyed by William Kemp and David Stevenson. Comments on Robert Chambers’ view of the terraces. Mentions a letter on the terraces, originally written for publication, which he has asked Robert Jameson [editor of the Edinburgh New Philos. J.] to destroy.

Summary

Difficulty of scheduling visit before JDH departs on Himalayan expedition.

Summary

Thanks for a suite of male and female specimens of Lepidoptera. Lack of difference in size of wings surprises CD; the female’s being smaller than male’s in early growth is new to him. Will ask a friend in India for comparable facts.

Summary

On scheduling farewell meeting.

Summary

Continued problems in scheduling farewell meeting.

Summary

CD very ill; tries to arrange departure meeting with JDH.

CD’s guess at composition of Maldive flora.

Summary

Has had two bad days with boils.

Is reading Last days of Pompeii [Edward Bulwer Lytton (1834)].

Summary

Now plans to come to Kew for an hour’s farewell if his stomach permits.

Congratulations on JDH’s Flora Antarctica [1847].

Summary

CD too unwell to see JDH. Encloses Emma’s farewell note.

Summary

Responding to GG’s offer to aid CD’s natural history researches on New Zealand, CD suggests that limestone caverns should be examined for fossils and that observations on the presence and range of erratic boulders in New Zealand would be very valuable.

Summary

Offers HM-E some specimens of Lernaea, a crustacean parasite on Balanus elongatus.

Mentions opinion of Harry Goodsir about a form CD believes to be the larva of Lernaea.

Summary

Accepts AC’s offer to conduct hybridisation experiments, and offers suggestions.

Sends book [Journal of researches, 2d ed. (1845)].

Summary

Discusses account. Glad that all is prosperous.