Summary

Thanks TCE for telling him of his crossed pigs. When they are grown, he would like to know whether they resemble each other.

Doubts the half-bred Gallus sonnerati will be productive, though he was assured many years ago that such a fertile half-breed once occurred.

Summary

Sends "the dates of the principal events of my Life" requested by EW [for use in his Men of the time (1862)].

Summary

Has written recollections of Henslow [Collected papers 2: 72–4].

Summary

Glad CD has given up on Acropera ovules.

Doubts phanerogams less different in extreme forms [than Crustacea].

No systematic parallelism between plants and animals.

Offers list of Arctic plants with their colours. Asks CD whether it is useful to add colour to [descriptions of] plants.

Summary

The flint tools found at Bedford.

Further discussion of Jamieson’s theory of the formation of the roads of Glen Roy by a glacial lake. Comments on formation of Glen Spean terraces. Mentions glaciers in North Wales.

Agreement with John Murray to publish [Orchids].

Summary

JDH’s letter on grounds of generalisation in plant morphology.

Faunal distribution and the glacial period.

Orchid homologies.

Summary

Noting that he is not an M.D., he would be much gratified should the University of Breslau think fit to honour him.

Summary

Is writing his paper on orchids.

Is surprised that AG gets little or no response with Drosera.

Describes the two forms of Primula and asks whether AG knows any analogous cases of dimorphism.

Reports that John Stuart Mill approves of CD’s scientific method.

Discusses American politics.

Summary

Admires LR’s book [Die Fauna der Pfahlbauten (1861)].

Will attempt to arrange for skull of wild white Chillingham cattle to be sent by Earl of Tankerville.

CD has come to same conclusion as LR on zebus.

CD’s MS of Variation is half-prepared.

Summary

Discusses the worsening relations between their two countries and the possibility of war.

Expects Orchids and his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63] to be out soon.

Thanks AG for some facts on dimorphism.

George Bentham has given him a list of Oxalis and Mentha species that are dimorphic like Primula.

Is in a "thick mud" regarding design in nature.

Summary

Discusses dimorphism and suggests CD investigate Valeriana.

Praises CD’s views with respect to the U. S. Civil War and relations with England. Worsening relations between Britain and U. S.

Summary

Offers to publish Orchids, giving CD one-half of the profits of each edition.

Summary

Thanks CD for his contribution to the memoir of Henslow [L. Jenyns, Memoir of the Rev. John Stevens Henslow (1862)].

Summary

Gongora cannot be female of Acropera; it may itself be a male.

Hopes Daniel Oliver will "sink Atlantis" in his Royal Institution lecture.

Summary

Asks CD whether he hears from Asa Gray. JDH’s opinion of the crisis [Trent case, Nov 1861] and the American Civil War.

Julius von Haast alludes to glacial drift in Middle Island of New Zealand.

Backwardness of JDH’s son, Willy.

Encloses a reference from Daniel Oliver which may be useful.

Summary

Sends queries concerning insect fertilisation of Epipactis palustris.

Summary

Would be grateful for observations on orchids.

Believes Spiranthes visited by moths. Asks AGM to repeat experiment on Spiranthes.

Summary

CD awarded honorary doctorate of medicine and surgery by the University of Breslau. [See 3194a.]

Summary

Thanks JM for his liberal offer [to publish Orchids]. CD fears the public will not be interested, but thinks it will "do good to the Origin as it will show that I worked hard on details and it will perhaps serve [to] illustrate how Natural History may be worked under the belief of the modification of Species".

Summary

CD’s changing taste in periodical literature.

William Darwin’s partnership in bank.

Work: variation and orchids.