Wants the Anthropological Society renamed the Ethnological Society. Is trying to raise funds toward payment of the Society’s debt.
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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.
Wants the Anthropological Society renamed the Ethnological Society. Is trying to raise funds toward payment of the Society’s debt.
Describes the behaviour of a pet donkey and pig.
Is sending specimens of Eucalyptus;
goes tomorrow to receive LL.D. [Glasgow].
Captive and tame birds inheriting the migratory instinct.
Sends leaves and names by post.
Is writing everywhere for Drosophyllum.
Is deeply interested in Desmodium.
Had no intention of publishing on Nepenthes, the experiments were solely for CD’s "eating". Will continue with egg and raw meat experiments. Asks for advice on how to prove fluid is secreted by the glands.
Searles Wood’s letter is confused and would deny atavism if his principles were accepted.
Many insects visit Eucalyptus flowers as long as there is pollen to be seen. Asking his colleague, George Masters, to gather insects and flowers at Long Bay for CD.
Observations on wild New Guinea pig in captivity.
Will take CD’s advice to write a book.
W. H. Flower is ill and obliged to go off for six months. Wants to return the money Flower contributed to fund for his holiday, asks the amount.
Letter of introduction for Mr Bradley, an expert on spiders.
Has time only to thank CD for the invaluable hints.
Encloses Lathyrus nissolia seeds.
Formic acid kills seeds but only rarely makes them dormant – as he presumes ants do. He finds great variation in the vigour of individual seeds. Harvester ants, used in place of formic acid, do not affect germination.
Reports an incident of his "hereditary" habit of dozing, head in hand, such that he scratches his nose.
Has been studying Origin and other works. Has lectured on the subject and would like to send some of his conclusions if CD is willing.
Suggests raising money to help Anton Dohrn complete the Naples Zoological Station, which is in danger of remaining unfinished.
Hybrid Motacilla.
Case of female duck leaving mate to pair with male of another species.
Is pleased that CD found the letters from Bell’s Weekly Messenger to the point.
Encloses extracts relating to benefits derived by animals from altered conditions of life.
Encloses notes on deterioration of short-horns from inbreeding. Breeders agree with him on benefits of introducing fresh blood into inbred stocks.
Sends information on shedding of reindeer horns in males and females.
Lemmings.
Encloses A. R. Wallace’s reply [in which he says he will undertake revision of Descent if CD wishes]. HWB says this shows that Wallace is unaware of the scope of revision; suggests need for well-defined terms.
Returned from visit.
Thinks several species of Eucalyptus would be worth experimenting on. Sends list.Mimosa albida would be worth its weight in diamonds. Neptunia worth more than diamonds.
Sorry to hear of GHD’s poor health – he could have pleasant society at Cambridge if he were stronger.
Contributes £75 [to a fund for Naples Zoological Station] "if the affair goes on after we hear from Dohrn".
Would be happy if ARW would undertake to help with correcting the proof-sheets of his revised edition of Descent. Outlines the job that would be required.