Summary

Describes her compassion for all his sufferings and writes of her wish that his gratitude could be offered to heaven as well as to herself. To her, the only relief is to try to believe that suffering and illness are from God’s hand "to help us to exalt our minds & to look forward with hope to a future state".

Summary

Gives CD an instance of facts that can be read either way as to whether a plant (Veronica humifusa) is a species or a variety.

Summary

Finds no trace of nectar in Stanhopea saccata.

Summary

Lists pairs of Oxalis species with differing proportions of stamens and styles.

Summary

Index of Origin does not refer to variability of rudimentary organs mentioned at pp. 149, 168. Offers references to Rudolf Leuckart and to Franz von Leydig to support CD’s point.

Summary

Refers CD to a paper which he ought to know: Ch. Fermond, "Faits pour servir à l’histoire générale de la fécondation chez les végétaux", Recueil des travaux de la Société d’émulation pour les sciences pharmaceutiques 3 (1859).

Summary

Sends his article ["Quelques nouvelles espèces de poissons fossiles", Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, Haarlem 2d ser. 14 (1861)]

and Dutch translation of the Origin.

Summary

On his father’s crossing experiments with cacti, in which hybrids were found quite fertile.

On his breeding of guinea-pigs.

Sends Miss E. Watts’s message about crested fowls and Brahmas.

Summary

Identifies two dipterous species of parasites [chalcidites].

Was not able to attend to the aphids last year, but will make use of CD’s suggestions and "study as much as I can the inquiry as to species".

Summary

Will be pleased to review Asa Gray’s pamphlet [see 3068].

Is not surprised that blind cave insects are sometimes found in other dark places.

Summary

Offers CD a live Proteus anguinus from Adelsberg cave. In his hands it will have a fair chance of developing into "some type of Columbidae (say a pouter or tumbler)".

The Origin is universally praised in Italy and Germany, even by those who disagree with it.

Summary

The Primula experiments of J. Sidebotham; HCW’s distrust of the results [see J. Sidebotham, "Specific identity of the cowslip and the primrose", Phytologist 3 (1849): 703–5].

Summary

List of references on orchid structure and fertilisation.

Summary

Asks for a testimonial for Edward Newman.

Discusses the Origin, considers natural selection works well when applied to the evolution of nations and groups of men; on the other hand feels the classification of mineral elements is a damaging analogy as it parallels organic classification but could not be derived by any evolutionary means.

Summary

Sends notes on fertilisation of Victoria regia tending to show that impregnation with foreign pollen increases productivity of seeds.

Summary

Mention of Volucella.

Summary

Distribution of varieties and subspecies.

George Maw’s review of the Origin [Zoologist 19 (1861): 7577–611].

Summary

Thanks CD for his letter about GM’s review of the Origin.

Sends instances of correlative organisation and functions which he finds difficult to believe could have accumulated by gradual modifications.

[Letter erroneously dated 1862 by GM.]

Summary

Gives some observations on the sensitivity of Drosera species and comments on cases of "dioecio-dimorphism".

Summary

A bee’s sting always remains behind.