Summary

Peloric forms of flowers: Clitoria Ternatea.

Summary

Hybrid geese.

Proportions of sexes in sheep and cattle.

Pairing habits of crows.

Summary

Discusses the flowers of, and cross- and self-fertilisation in, certain aquatic plants. Gives cases of dichogamy and perfect self-fertility.

Summary

Has received English edition of Variation. First volume of German edition came three months ago. Comments on book.

Will send copy of recent lectures on human evolution [Entstehung des Menschengeschlechts (1868)]. Gegenbaur much interested in the subject.

Considers Selachius the ancestral form of the fish and hence of all higher vertebrates. Believes their swim-bladder became lung of amphibians.

Mentions cases of hybrid crosses between rabbits and hares producing fertile offspring.

Summary

CD thanks OS for answering his questions and especially for giving the case of the sandpiper; "such little facts are my delight". [See 6253.]

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

Sends a paper he has written [on scarlet runner].

Summary

Sends some answers to CD’s queries on expression, based on his observations of Abyssinians.

Summary

Questions CD’s view in Variation that Torfschwein formerly ranged from Europe to China.

Cites numerous German publications relating to CD’s theory.

Summary

Lists stridulating organs of various Coleoptera.

Summary

Offers deerhound puppy.

Asks for photograph.

Encloses letter from George Cupples of notes, with excerpts from letters from Peter Robertson and John Wright, relating to difference in size between male and female deerhounds. Reports on weight statistics of ten [deerhound] puppies being observed.

Summary

Thanks for copy of CD’s latest book [Variation].

European converts to CD’s theory.

Summary

Reports on Norwich address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): lviii–lxxv]. Left out some things, i.e., Asa Gray’s being superseded.

Tyndall says CD and JDH are types of "unconscious merit".

Summary

On corals and coral-formation.

Summary

Sends news of his and Frank’s doings at Cambridge.

Summary

CD thanks JJW for letter about the crimson breast of linnets

and the fate of a pugnacious female bullfinch.

Refers to JJW’s pointing out the number of Jenners and Weirs who have been naturalists, and cites some writings by men of those families about striking cases of birds.

Summary

Answers to Expression questionnaire.

Summary

Discusses a domestic oriental fowl.

Is having problems getting answers to CD’s queries on expression as Chinese facial expressions are limited and controlled. Answers as well as he can. [See Expression index.]

Summary

Reminds WDF to write about the "great magpie marriage". Sexual selection an "everlasting subject".

News of his children.

Asks for information on instances of sexual preference in animals and data on numbers of males and females born in various domesticated species.

Summary

Asks WED to observe blushing in the blind, and yawning.

Mentions elephants’ crying while trumpeting.