Summary

Requests facts concerning the colour of the parents of true dun horses. His interest also in the colour and presence of spinal stripes of dun horses or ponies before they lose their first hair.

Summary

Asks how many wild Chillingham cattle are killed each year. Interested in rate of increase.

Summary

Thanks for information about natural increase of Chillingham cattle. Compares with case in Paraguay.

Summary

His thanks to "Eques" of Argyllshire for his remarkable information on the inheritance of colour in horses. Acknowledges the difficulty of defining dun. Requests further information.

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

"You could not possibly have told me anything which would have given me more satisfaction than what you say about Mr. Mill’s opinion." [See 2868.]

Summary

Bentham has sent a damaged spurless Orchis pyramidalis; asks CL to send another. Fears they are irregular monsters. [See Orchids, pp. 47–8.]

Summary

Sends correspondence between Dr Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood I [of Etruria] on glaciers.

Also a pamphlet [Asa Gray, Natural selection not inconsistent with natural theology (1861)] containing "the best account" of the Origin.

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

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

Tells of a shooting competition at Down.

Has been working hard at orchid drawings with G. B. Sowerby, Jr.

Summary

Thanks for "multitudinous" references.

Thanks Hooker for orchids.

Summary

JL’s kindness has laid William and himself "under an enduring obligation". One clause in the partnership agreement seems harsh but will probably never signify.

Summary

Thanks for JG’s book [An introduction to the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds (1861)], which he has read carefully. Hopes someday to use the information on the close alliance of species in large genera.

CD repudiates hybridity of birds in nature.

Intends to extract the cases of "races" or doubtful species. They show that "determination of species is not a simple affair".

Summary

Thanks AG for notes on hollies.

Replies to an argument for design. Feels it monstrous to consider orchids created as they are now seen, since every part reveals modification on modification.

Summary

Trusts DO’s opinion on Acropera ovules.

Summary

Comments on JL’s Seasons with sea-horses [1861]. Thinks JL bold to defend his bear–whale illustration.

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

Thanks GM for his excellent criticisms. His observations on the classification of minerals force him to "own that classification may be closely like that due to descent yet have no relation to it".

Asks whether GM has observed any cases of "bud-variations".

Summary

Reports his experiment with fertilising the large periwinkle (Vinca major), which he had never known to produce seed. He found that the pollen could not reach the stigma without the aid of insects, which in England never visit the flower. CD produced seeds by inserting a fine bristle, like the proboscis of a moth. Asks readers to repeat this experiment with other species that do not habitually seed and to report the result.