Summary

Hibiscus and Nolana seeds not harvested at Kew. Sends list of the best plants of Lilium he can give.

Asks CD for name of work on orchids mentioned in his supplementary paper ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Summary

Supplies names of moths and references.

Describes his breeding experiments with butterflies to test effects of reduced light.

Summary

Sends CD information on two points which St George Mivart has asked him to provide, respecting the platysma myoides muscle. It is always in a state of violent contraction when a person is struggling for breath. In persons to whom chloroform is about to be administered, there is contraction but not so marked. No doubt contraction was strong before use of chloroform in operations.

Summary

Has not heard of Curtis on Dionaea.

Duke of Argyll is clever, but it is a sin to speak of a real old Duke as a "little beggar".

"My theology is a simple muddle: I cannot look at the Universe as the result of blind chance, yet I can see no evidence of beneficent Design."

On spontaneous generation and Bastian.

Summary

Has forwarded JPMW’s papers to the Linnean Society [four articles by J. P. M. Weale, J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 13 (1870–2): 42–58].

Comments on JPMW’s findings concerning flowers and their fertilisation.

Summary

Discusses applicability of evolutionary theory to the question of human origins.

Describes revisions in 2d edition of Natürliche Schöpfungsgeschichte.

His research on calcareous sponges.

Mentions evolutionary content in Gegenbaur’s Vergleichende Anatomie [2d ed. (1870)].

Summary

Thanks JDH for offer of lilies.

The paper on orchids is by Hermann Müller [Verh. Naturhist. Ver. Preuss. Rheinlande & Westphalens 25 (1868): 1–62], on Platanthera and Epipactis.

Cites another work by P. Rohrbach [Über den Blüthenbau (1866)].

MS [of Descent] ready for printer.

Has read Bentham’s last Linnean Society [Presidential] Address [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1870): lxxiv–xciv] with great interest.

Summary

Wants to keep "The origin of man" as first part of title of book.

Summary

Thinks well of Claparède’s criticism; worth publishing as an answer to Wallace. Bates thinks Wallace’s heterodox views have done mischief to the cause of evolution. Wallace thinks Claparède’s article very weak, CD concludes, because Claparède has arrived at an unpleasant judgment very much like Lyell’s about Bentham’s address.

CD would wager Lyell lately has said something about European Proteaceae.

Does not remember anyone before Wallace on Sumatra and Java.

CD does not think he has a chance against Brandt in French Academy election.

Summary

Has found a remarkable anatomical character in the niata skull of which he wrote [see 5540]. Asks whether the skull CD brought from South America [at the Royal College of Surgeons] shows the same character. If so, it would provide incontestable evidence of the origin of this race of cattle.

Summary

Thanks Quatrefages for his work on species. Explains that he received the Wollaston Medal for his three geological works.

Summary

Sends copies of a mission magazine [missing] and discusses the missionaries’ work in S. America, especially that of Thomas Bridges and W. H. Stirling.

Summary

Sends seeds from R. L. Playfair in Algiers.

F. Delpino writes asking where M. A. Curtis has published physiological observations on Dionaea ["Enumeration of plants growing spontaneously around Wilmington, North Carolina", Boston J. Nat. Hist. 1 (1834–7): 82–140; see Insectivorous plants, p. 301 n.].

Talk with Duke of Argyll on CD’s and Wallace’s views on man.

Summary

Sends a letter by Mr Teebay on variation in wild ducks.

Offers to lend Dr Cooper’s book on game fowls.

Is preparing a new edition [1873] of his Poultry book.

Summary

Has CD read E. Claparède ["Remarques à propos de l’ouvrage de M. Alfred Russel Wallace sur la théorie de la sélection naturelle", Arch. Sci. Phys. & Nat. n.s. 38 (1870): 160–89]? Is it worth translating?

CD and J.-F. de Brandt are "en lutte for Ac. of Sc. [France]. What a farce it is".

His work on Nepenthes supports Miquel’s and Wallace’s view of the zoology of Borneo and Sumatra.

Brian Hodgson on dogs.

H. C. Bastian’s book [The modes of origin of lowest organisms (1871)] unsatisfactory.

Lyell does not share CD’s view of Bentham’s address.

Summary

CD lost first round of nominations at the Académie Française to Jean-Frédéric de Brandt. QdeB and Milne-Edwards continue the battle, but CD is fiercely attacked.

Asks for complete citation of CD’s geological work on South America because it has to be shown he did more than collect objects.

Summary

Sends list of his publications.

Is grateful for interest QdeB has taken in his election [to Académie Française].