Remarks on geographical divisions of the flora of the Southern Hemisphere.

JDH beginning Galapagos plants. Value of studying insular floras with respect to inquiries about adaptation of species.

Island floras; relationships with mainland. Ranges of species in mundane genera.

Galapagos plants one-third done.

Thanks for information on Malden Island. Comments on its plants and their relationship to the Galapagos flora. Discusses the flora of Oceania. Gives his opinion on the extent of the uniformity in species and forms amongst South Sea Islands. Large genera are more widely diffused and have a larger proportion of species with wide ranges.

Seeks advice on expense of preparing plates [for Flora Antarctica].

Answer to CD’s query on genera and species ranges.

Comments on typical forms.

Preparing first part of Galapagos plants for printing.

Suggests there is a direct relation between temperature and abundance of plant species.

Discusses the connection between climate and vegetation. Believes that an equable climate is unfavourable to increase of species either by importation or modification of existing forms; illustrates his view with reference to particular floras. Hopes to acquire facts to support CD’s idea that isolation is important in producing new forms. Considers the floras of islands some of which do have distinctive species but others of which do not. Agrees that the wide ranges of cryptogams are a consequence of their means of dispersal. Asks for references to works on original creation and species mutability in order to get the best notions of "the (mad) theories of some men from Lamarck’s twaddle upwards".

Sends notes on Infusoria for Ehrenberg.

Comments on distribution of species in natural orders that have local distributions. Intermediate forms between species of Lycopodium.

Differences in variability of species within a single genus. Further observations on Lycopodium.

Interested in Humboldt’s river with different floras on opposite banks, and other unexplained cases of very local distributions.

Would like to visit on the weekend of 7–8 December.

Differences in floras of St Helena and Ascension.

Thanks for pleasant stay at Down.

Remarks on boulders found on southern islands.

Describes the alpine character of the Andes flora and relays information on other mountain floras.

Quotes instances of seeds that retained their vitality after being carried by ocean currents.

Sends notes on the comparative floras of New Zealand, Australia, and west coast of South America.

Encloses a copy of part of a letter from George Gardner in Ceylon concerning the European character of the mountain flora.

Thanks for CD’s comments on "sketch".

Lengthy discussion of geographical distribution and island floras.

Has been "delighted with" [Robert Chambers’] Vestiges [of creation (1844)].

Galapagos flora work goes on well.

Discusses books returned

and invites him to Down for a few days.

Queries on ratios of species to genera on southern islands. CD’s observations on distribution of Galapagos organisms, and on S. American fossils, and facts he has gathered since, lead him to conclusion that species are not immutable; "it is like confessing a murder".

C. G. Ehrenberg would like some earth from Galapagos, Tierra del Fuego, and the Falklands; wishes to hunt for Infusoria.

Thanks for information for Ehrenberg.

Has just completed Volcanic islands.

Sends queries on Galapagos flora in particular and island floras in general; also on relationship of wide-ranging species to wide-ranging genera.

Affinity of Galapagos with nearest Pacific islands. Relationship between ranges of species in time and space. Comparison of Malden Island and Galapagos plants. Affinities of Oceania plants with continental floras.

Advice to JDH on problems of printing and publishing.

Remarks on differences of species between islets of Galapagos group.

Asks JDH to forward publishing information to J. E. Gray.

Has received JDH’s infusorial specimens for Ehrenberg.

Thanks for JDH’s interesting details about the Galapagos.

Clarification of CD’s query about the relationship between the range of a genus and the ranges of its constituent species.