Summary

Encloses a sketch of the principal events in his life [for RH’s memoir on CD in Walford, ed., Portraits of men of eminence (1863–7)].

Summary

His reasons for rejecting Atlantis hypothesis connecting Madeira and Canary Islands.

Summary

Reports on his health.

Discusses a surveying expedition under Richard Charles Mayne on which his son will be Second Lieutenant; hopes to arrange for them to excavate some bones in the Falklands.

Summary

Discussion of Mrs Agassiz’s letter [to Mary Lyell, forwarded to CD] regarding S. American glacial action,

with comments on Bunbury’s letter on temperate plants.

Refers to opinions of Agassiz, David Forbes, Hooker, and CD on glacial period and glaciers.

Wishes he had published a long chapter on glacial period [Natural selection, pp. 535–66] written ten years ago.

Tells of death of his sister, Catherine, and other family matters.

Summary

Gives his opinion on the ancestry of domestic ducks, geese, and guinea-fowl.

Summary

Alexander Beatson mentions a bird in considerable numbers on St Helena which appears to contradict CD’s statement in Journal of researches that only introduced land birds exist there.

The Azores flora and fauna tell heavily against Atlantis joining them with America and against transoceanic migration from America.

Summary

Disposal of Susan’s effects. Legacies to CD’s children. EAD has taken the letters and papers and asked Henry [Parker] to forward the George Richmond pictures of CD and Emma.

Caroline looks "miserably ill".

Summary

Mentions a note in Notes and Queries [3d ser. 10 (1866): 343–4] which refers to A sketch of the life and works of Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Analysis of New Zealand flora; proportion of indigenous annuals.

Uniform climates are poor in species.

Evergreen and deciduous vegetation: relationship to flora and fauna.

Summary

Discusses CD’s and J. D. Hooker’s letters to Lyell concerning Louis Agassiz’s theory of the glaciation of the Amazon basin in Brazil.

Summary

CD defends his view of land birds on St Helena.

Explains why he would not expect American plants on the Azores.

It makes him miserable that he and JDH look at everything so differently.

Summary

Gives CD reference to case of the saiga, an antelope, fearless of man.

Reports observations by New Zealander who has seen heaps of pebbles presumably voided by Dinornis.

Summary

Thanks CD for photograph.

JvH will send his notes on origin of species;

he is now writing a paper on glacier period of the New Zealand west coast, and his account of the highly glaciated headwater region of the Rakaia River is being printed.

Summary

More comments on proofs [of CL’s Principles of geology, 10th ed.]. Discusses permanence of continents and other points.

Refers to passage describing evaporation of snow in Journal [of researches, pp. 277–8].

Cites astronomers’ views on increasing length of day.

Summary

Pleased CD does not consider review of his works prejudiced [Anon., "Darwin and his teachings", Q. J. Sci. 3 (1866): 151–76].

Supports gradual development of species over time.

Confused by the metaphysical view implied in the analogy between a creative power that has made new species and artificial selection governed by human reason (Origin, 3d ed., p. 492).

Doubts natural selection.

Cites his discussion of the origin of Infusoria [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 14 (1865): 546–7].

Summary

Sends a draft of memorial to Admiralty [to be signed by geologists and palaeontologists] requesting that an expedition to survey Strait of Magellan collect fossils discovered by Admiral B. J. Sulivan [see 5142].

Summary

Comments on errors [in Origin] pointed out in C. J. F. Bunbury’s letters.

Mentions CD’s notes on Drimys, Fuchsia, and fossil mammals of Brazilian caves.

Sorrowful that his work must be put aside because Murray wants a new [4th] edition of Origin. Remarks on changes to be made regarding Organ Mountains and Agassiz’s glacial markings.

Summary

Has read FM’s paper on sponges ["Über Darwinella aurea", Arch. Miskrosk. Anat. 1 (1865): 344–53] with interest.

Has also read FM’s work on the metamorphoses of Peneus [Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 14 (1864): 104–15], an interesting and important embryological discovery.

CD regards Louis Agassiz’s opinions as valueless.

Summary

Refers to part of JDH letter on glacial period sent on to Lyell. CD will not yield. Cannot think how JDH attaches so much attention to physicists. Has "come not to care at all for general beliefs without the special facts".

His health is improved but not so good as JDH supposes.

Summary

Answers JDH’s questions on connection of SE. England and continent,

on the effect of breaking the Isthmus of Panama,

and on Madeira flora as remnant of Tertiary flora.

Cautionary remarks for JDH on his "Insular floras" speech, designed to strengthen case of "occasional migration" theory.