Summary

Will enclose list of orchids in bloom for CD’s use.

Asks for photograph; her pleasure in knowing CD.

Most interested in the account of pigeons in CD’s book [Origin].

Summary

Wants to invest some money, as Treasurer of the Down Friendly Society.

Summary

Comments on CK’s letter [3426].

Identifies species of pigeon shot by party.

On CK’s "grand and awful" notion of genealogy of man, CD recalls how revolting was the thought that his ancestors must have been like the Fuegians. His present belief that they were hairy beasts is less revolting.

Summary

Entire family down with influenza. Has done nothing for three weeks.

Asks for Haast reference on New Zealand glacial deposits.

CD’s view of the North since Trent case. Can no longer write with sympathy to Asa Gray.

Encourages JDH about his son, Willy.

Problem of relation of colour to external conditions. Hopes JDH will undertake the investigation.

Summary

Elaborates his denudation theory: marine denudation works horizontally, atmospheric works vertically.

Answers point in CD’s letter on Sydney Harbour, N. S. W.

Who is the "goose" who reviews CD’s books in the Athenæum [review of Orchids, 24 May 1862]?

Summary

Asks for reference to GB’s summary of Targioni-Tozzetti’s book ["Historical notes on the introduction of various plants into the agriculture and horticulture of Tuscany: a summary of a work entitled Cenni storici sulla introduzione di varie piante nell agricultura ed orticultura Toscana by Dr Antonio Targioni-Tozzetti, Florence, 1850", J. Hortic. Soc. Lond. 9 (1855): 133–81]. [See Variation, 1st ed., 1: 306 n.]

Summary

Agrees Max Müller’s book [see 3752] is interesting but cannot see how it will further his "cause".

A book by J. W. Colenso [The Pentateuch and book of Joshua critically examined, pt 1 (1862)] has just appeared and will "make a noise".

Would like some observations made on Cypripedium.

Will not publish yet on Lythrum as he must make many more crosses; the mid-styled is fertile with half of its own stamens.

Would like to try a few experiments on tendrils.

Summary

Glad to receive CD’s pat on back for address.

Wants to know what CD thinks of the argument on geological contemporaneity.

On his poor health.

Summary

Has forwarded Mitchella roots and Cypripedium.

Summary

Miocene glacial period a remarkable discovery; if it is true, enlargement of Tertiary period necessary.

Received German monograph on Chilean Carabi that does not answer where isolated species came from.

HWB finds genital modifications of Chrysomela strong support for the theory.

Thanks for copy of Orchids.

Summary

J. C. Wickham and Arthur Mellersh are in town and BJS wonders whether there is any chance CD might join them.

Summary

Nearly agrees on contemporaneity, but THH pushes his ideas too far. Would require strong evidence before believing that the so-called Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous strata could be contemporaneous. Thinks THH’s case on advancement of organisation is strong. But he should read Bronn, before publishing again, and say more on other side. Cannot help hoping he is not as right as he seems to be.

Summary

Pleased that new German edition of Origin is wanted. Wishes to make corrections.

Suggests German translation of Orchids.

Comments on HGB’s book [Untersuchungen (1858)].

Summary

On THH’s Lectures to working men.

Work by Ferdinand J. Cohn on the contractile tissue of plants ["Über contractile Gewebe im Pflanzenreich" Abh. Schlesischen Ges. Vaterl. Cult. 1 (1861)] seems important. CD has come to the conclusion that there must be some substance in plants analogous to the supposed diffused nervous matter in lower animals.

[Part of P.S. missing from original.]

Summary

Sends CD a quotation from Plato which anticipates the Origin.

Has been enjoying CD’s paper on dimorphism in the Journal of the Linnean Society ["Two forms of Primula", Collected papers 2: 45–63]. He has found similar structures [see Forms of flowers, pp. 116, 122].

Summary

Thanks for paper and references on variations [missing].

Regrets HWB’s trouble about artists, etc., saying such trouble is a law of nature.

Asks whether HWB has heard of starving Indians who are forced to cook in different ways, and eat new things.

Summary

Has received Australian government grant to collect and publish on fossils. Has collected thousands of fossils.