At work on abstract.

Continues argument on effectiveness of dispersal. Has doubts about relationship of isolation to highness of Australian flora. Questions about survival of European plants introduced in Australia.

CD receives the Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society.

Wallace has written and is well satisfied with the joint presentation.

CD requests some facts to make case in his abstract for former glacial action in Himalayas.

CD not convinced that naturalisation of European plants abroad is strictly dependent on creation by agriculture of disturbed ground.

More than half through his chapter on geographical distribution.

Darwin encloses letters from ARW, and expresses admiration for the spirit in which they were written. Darwin thanks Hooker and Lyell for their intervention in the joint reading of ARW and Darwin’s papers at the Linnean Society in 1858. Darwin makes enquiries about the geology of the Himalayas.

Relieved by Wallace’s letter.

At work on introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae.

European plants naturalised in Australia are almost all adapted to invading disturbed ground.

JDH supports Asa Gray against Alphonse de Candolle as foreign member of Royal Society.

Hooker is “relieved and pleased” by the letters from ARW that Darwin had forwarded regarding ARW’s reaction to the joint reading of their papers at the Linnean Society in 1858. He discusses his progress on his Australian article. [Hooker, J. D. 1859. On The Flora of Australia: Its Origin, Affinities, and Distribution. In: Botany of the Antarctic Expedition. Part 3: Flora of Tasmania, vol. 1. London: Lovell Reeve.] He discusses potential candidates for the Royal Society’s new Foreign Fellow.