Summary

Would like to borrow CD’s carriage on polling day.

Summary

After examining a basket of piebald potatoes he does believe them to be a graft-hybrid as Friedrich Hildebrand might suggest.

Summary

Potato graft-hybrid fails to give potatoes.

August Weismann requests Wallace’s address to find out about experiments on butterflies hinted at in Variation.

Summary

Arrangements for polling.

Summary

The position at Geological Society is now vacant, and he is working for it in earnest. Asks CD for a testimonial.

Continues his work on Für Darwin.

Summary

Thanks CD for comments [on Entstehung des Menschengeschlechts].

Comments on Goethe and Kant as early evolutionists.

Describes birth of his son. Mentions child’s "atavisms".

Summary

Asks permission to dedicate to CD his book on the fossil animals and geology of Attica [Animaux fossiles et géologie de l’Attique (1862–7)]. CD will find much in it relating to the "filiation" of species, genera, and families.

Summary

Disappointed that he missed CD. Hopes still to see him in the flesh.

Has CD seen August Weismann’s inaugural address [see 6297]?

Summary

CD is welcome to come for breakfast on Sunday.

Summary

Asks CD to propose him for Linnean Society.

Would like to have Lyell put his objections to GHL’s papers [Fortn. Rev. 9 (1868): 353–73, 611–28; 10 (1868): 61–80, 492–509] in the form of notes, so he can have them before him when he recasts his papers into a book.

Summary

Thanks CD for kind and flattering testimonial.

Summary

On corals and coral-formation.

Summary

Has little information about hens with spurs. Encloses information from Robert Oettel and C. F. Friderich, and from J. F. Blumenbach’s Vergleichende Anatomie [1805]. Recommends various German publications.

Summary

Describes his tour of the Netherlands. Reports on some of the specimens he saw on his trip.

Discusses the coloration of hair in aged monkey

and sexual differences in bird species.

Summary

On H. C. Watson’s false and contemptuous criticism of [J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson] Flora Indica [1855].

W. B. Carpenter’s deep-sea dredgings.

James Croll’s last paper ["On geological time", Philos. Mag. 35 (1868): 363; 36 (1868): 141, 362].

Summary

Comments on experience of being a father.

Discusses possible English edition of Generelle Morphologie. Mentions necessary revisions.

Thanks CD for comment on Natürliche Schöpfungsgeschichte.

Discusses problem of assigning specific times to origin of classes.

Summary

Anxious to hear how the Lubbocks take the disastrous termination to their hopes. [Sir John Lubbock was defeated in the Parliamentary election on 25 Nov 1868.]

Summary

JL’s failure to be elected to Parliament.

Summary

WSD has been elected Assistant Secretary of the Geological Society after a sharp struggle. CD’s support was greatly in his favour.

Has finished Für Darwin. It has been a difficult job.

Summary

He and Mrs G pleased to receive CD’s letter indicating that he found their observations worthy of attention.

Hopes soon to be able to answer CD’s queries on first plumage of chickens of black-boned variety of fowl.