Anticipated AG’s attitude on design in orchids. Does he not think that the variations that gave rise to fancy pigeon varieties were accidental?

Has been working hard at Lythrum

and spontaneous movements of tendrils.

Defends Drosera as a "sagacious animal" but does not know whether he will ever publish on it.

Comments on political situation in U. S.

Has not worked for six months due to illness.

Has been looking at climbing plants.

Hermann Crüger’s paper shows that CD was right about Catasetum pollination. Crüger’s account of pollination of Coryanthes "beats everything".

Describes the flower and mode of action of a particular orchid.

Has been examining Spiranthes and is experimenting to see whether insects are necessary for its fertilisation.

It seems that Oncidium is designed so as not to be fertilised.

Congratulates AG on the "grand news of Richmond".

Still interested in dimorphism and would welcome new cases.

Working on Variation

and correcting proofs of Climbing plants.

Would like seed of AG’s dimorphic Plantago.

Cannot understand how the wind could fertilise reciprocally dimorphic flowers.

Is slowly writing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Thanks for [Charles?] Wright’s observations on orchids

– could he note what attracts insects to Begonia and Melastoma? H. Crüger, who was going to observe Melastomataceae, has died.

Describes the climbing habits of Bignonia capreolata and Eccremocarpus scaber.

How does AG know the perfect flowers of Voandzeia are quite sterile?

He has a case of dimorphism in holly; asks AG to report on American hollies.

Has finished Climbing plants;

resuming work on Variation.

Sends abstract of John Scott’s paper [see 4332].

Has received review of Herbert Spencer but cannot believe AG wrote it unless he has muddled his brains with metaphysics.

Sends question [missing] for an ornithologist.

Is plodding on at Variation.

Has added to Climbing plants.

Gratified by AG’s praise of "Climbing plants".

Thanks for Specularia seed.

AG’s article on climbing plants [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 40 (1865): 273–82] is admirable and complimentary.

Reports Fritz Müller’s observations on climbers.

Experiments on dimorphism with Mitchella and Pulmonaria.

AG’s second article on Climbing plants [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 41 (1866): 125–30].

Fritz Müller’s observations on Rubiaceae.

New edition [4th] of Origin.

Thanks for AG’s trouble about new edition of Origin.

Will be printing his new book [Variation] at the end of the year.

[Forwarded by AG, with covering note, to Mr Fields of Ticknor & Fields.]

L. Agassiz’s evidence [for glaciation of America] is very weak.

Thanks AG for arranging for American edition of Variation, but doubts that the book will be successful.

Has found no differences in pollen of Rhamnus so cannot conjecture whether it is dimorphic.

The common oxlip of England is certainly a hybrid between the primrose and the cowslip whereas Primula elatior is a good species.

Reports experiments on the relative vigour of seedlings from cross- and self-fertilised plants.

Statement of sales of U. S. edition of Origin.

Thanks AG for his trouble about expression queries; wishes he had thought earlier of having them printed.

Is "plodding on" correcting Variation

and getting "a little amusement" from plant experiments. Oxalis is trimorphic like Lythrum.

Is continuing his experiments on seedling vigour.

Has heard hybrid potatoes can be produced by joining halves of different tubers.

Answers to CD’s questions on expressions among the Atnah and Espyox Indians of Nass River [see Expression, pp. 22, 232, 252, 260].

Discusses the debate in America over the relationship among Indian tribes. JTR does not believe Indians are all of one race; they are as varied as Europeans.

[Forwarded to CD by Asa Gray.]

Thanks AG for sending W. M. Canby’s letter on Dionaea. Although already familiar with the facts concerning the secretions, the letter "fires me up to complete and publish on Drosera, Dionæa, etc."

The two names CD could not read are "Atnah" and "Espyox" [see 5478].

He and George Thurber would like CD’s autograph.

Sends sheets of first volume of Variation.

Transport of seeds in locust dung.

Pangenesis will be called "a mad dream".

Statement of sales of U. S. edition of Origin.

Asks that Gray forward a letter to J. T. Rothrock. Variation is selling well. Nearly all chapters were at least partially written before Origin was published.