Sends address.
Showing 1–17 of 17 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Sends address.
Cases of monstrosities becoming transmissible.
Comments on passages in Origin on the blindness of the tucu-tucu (Ctenomys) and Mammoth Cave rats.
CD has a low opinion of British entomologists.
Lyell’s ingenious difficulties with natural selection show he is in earnest.
Asks JDH to observe beetles and variation of stripes in mules on his Syrian tour.
Thanks JDH for agreeing to observe coats of asses and mules in Middle East.
Asks for observations on vigour of plants as JDH ascends mountains.
Ad hominem article in Athenæum [review of John Tyndall, Glaciers of the Alps, 1 Sept 1860, pp. 280–2].
Reports extensive experiments on Drosera.
Observations on orchid anatomy.
Requests observations on Drosera and Dionaea,
and asks DO to look up Buchanan and Wight on insectivorous plants ["Conspectus of Indian Utricularia", Hooker’s J. Bot. 1 (1849): 372–4].
Thanks for reference to Annales des Sciences Naturelles.
Requests DO observe rate at which Australian Drosera closes.
On detection of nitrogen in organic fluids.
Has received a batch of S. African specimens which contain many of the Atlantic genera he found in Madeira and the Canaries.
Reports observations on the fertilisation of Goodeniaceae, and particularly Leschenaultia. [See 2992.]
CD’s observations on preference of Drosera for milk and nitrogenous fluids, and the effect of nitrate of ammonia are interesting. Asks whether CD is satisfied that the effect is not due to density of fluid or to a chemical irritant. His own observations suggest such possibilities.
Replies to WHH’s criticisms of the Origin. Is disappointed that WHH does not understand what CD means by natural selection. CD has said "ad nauseam" that selection can do nothing without previous variability. Natural selection accumulates successive variations in any profitable direction. If CD had to rewrite his book he would use "natural preservation" rather than selection. Defends his necessarily conjectural illustrations. Agrees with what WHH says on the antiquity of the world, but it makes no impression on him. Considers the difficulty of the first modification of the first protozoan. Emphasises that there is nothing in his theory "necessitating in each case progression of acquisition", nor is it the case that "a low form would never conquer a high" in the struggle for life. Attempts to explain what he means by a "dominant" group; dominance is always relative, and he does not believe any one group could be predominant. He has no objections to "sudden jumps"; they would aid him in some cases, but he has found no evidence to make him believe in them and a good deal pointing the other way.
Lists of nitrogenous organic fluids that produce contraction in Drosera, and details of how to reproduce results.
Instructs EN to copy and post letter [2922].
His results with pure gum on Drosera spathulata entirely support CD’s opinion. Other observations on insectivorous plants.
Has been observing Drosera. Asks JSH whether a curious motion in the red fluid poured out from the viscid hairs is a known or common phenomenon. It surprised him, but he is "so ignorant of vegetable physiology".
Requests Dionaea now that he knows Drosera so well. Wants to compare fluids secreted; in Drosera they are acid and have antiseptic effect on meat.
Admires DO’s correlation of spiny tree species and dry hot climate. CD suggests that spines, like strange aroma of desert plants, protect against browsing where there are few plants.
Fragrance and unisexuality.
Dimorphism in Viola tricolor.
Thinks he has worked out simple mechanism of movement in Drosera. Believes he is correct that gum has no effect.
Thanks for Trécul paper ["Organisation des glandes pédicellées de la feuille du Drosera rotundifolia", C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. 40: 1355–8; Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 3d ser. 3: 303–11].
Chloroform paralyses plants in 30 seconds.