Summary

Notes on sexual differences in British Hemiptera.

Summary

CD thinks JJW’s account [in 7137] is significant for a theory of generation and should go to some scientific society; suggests additional data is needed. Quotes cases of subsequent progeny apparently affected by a previous impregnation. Perhaps not prudent to allude to "despised" Pangenesis, which CD fully believes will have its day.

Summary

Shares Hooker’s feelings about Douglas Galton and Lord Henry Lennox.

Bored with preparing new editions.

Summary

Horrified to find he has forgotten to announce birth of daughter.

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

Hopes JDH will beat Sir Douglas Galton.

Continues to work on insectivorous plants.

Summary

JDH too severe on Duke of Argyll.

Pities JDH on [BAAS] address [see 6099]; Huxley feels JDH will do well and will not pity him.

Thinks Huxley will give an excellent and original lecture on geographical distribution of birds.

Has been working hard on sexual selection and correspondence about it.

Mignonette is sterile with its own pollen but any two distinct plants are fertile together. It is utterly mysterious and not even Pangenesis will explain it.

On Lyell’s book [Principles, 10th ed.].

Wallace’s wonderful cleverness, but he is not cautious enough. CD differs from Wallace on birds’ nests and protection.

A. Murray’s miserable criticism of Wallace [J. Travel & Nat. Hist. 1 (1868): 137–45].

Summary

Astonished at JDH’s success versus Galton

and his attack on Murray is superb. Has written a formal letter to Mivart enumerating his offences.

Summary

Asks CD whether he has given any thought to the phenomena of spiritualism.

Summary

Verses on the Origin and Descent.

Summary

Comments on a discussion of humming-birds by the Duke of Argyll [in The reign of law (1867)].

Encloses article by Henry Parker on the Duke’s book [Saturday Rev. 23 (1867): 82–4].

Summary

Has observed CD’s points. Except for leaves of Nelumbium, would have supposed both wax and hairs were connected with absorption or respiratory functions. May subserve some function connected with rays of sun. Watering most prejudicial in the hot sun: a splendid subject for experiments.

Adam is a good man.

Summary

Chillingham cattle leg bones will be sent to LR.

J. E. Gray has read a paper on unusual Japanese domesticated pig at the Zoological Garden ["On the skull of the Japanese pig", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1862): 13–17].

Summary

Comments on items in the Saturday Review and the Edinburgh Review.

Summary

Explains "Duke Darwinii" reference [in 4283].

Family news.

Writes of Scottish immorality and pious talk.

Summary

Box of Melastomataceae has arrived.

Talked with [Duke of] Argyll about Origin. He is between stools: Owen and Lyell.

Summary

Goes to N. Wales with Huxley.

Wishes to borrow Duke of Argyll’s Reign of law.

The BAAS Presidential Address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): lviii–lxxv] – his unhappiness about it; history of botany requires too much reading.

Smith will supply notes on Euryale.

Summary

Did not intend to imply that Hallett said variation stopped, but that it arrives at a point where further accumulation in direction sought is so slow as to result practically in fixity of type – but not absolute fixity.

Duke of Argyll has requested JDH to superintend publication of a flora of India. JDH thinks he [Argyll] is paying him off for his kick at natural theology.

Willy [Hooker] returning from New Zealand.

A unique character in Drosophyllum.

Sees no reason for CD to contribute to Ross and Faraday memorials.

Summary

Thanks for seeds and plants.

News of Francis and Horace Darwin.

Summary

Pleased at success of JDH’s address. Has read several press reports.

Spectator pitches into JDH about theology ["Dr Hooker on the evidences", 22 Aug 1868, pp. 986–7].

Feels JDH has "immensely advanced the belief in evolution of species".