Thanks WJH for information about J. D. Hooker; CD was very anxious to hear something about his safety.
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Thanks WJH for information about J. D. Hooker; CD was very anxious to hear something about his safety.
Encloses a letter from J. D. Hooker [see 1257], thinking that WJH would like to see it.
Falconer’s misbehaviour.
Geology of Khashia [Khasi] mountains. Speculations on mountain building and origin of Himalayas.
Asks GB to vote for "a distant connexion of mine" at Athenaeum, and to mention this to Hooker.
Has left a book from Henslow for JDH at Athenaeum.
When Asa Gray wrote, did he send marked sheets [of his Manual of botany]?
Has just made out "new & wonderful" specific character between two of his pigeon breeds.
Asks GB for help in clearing up his problems about Leguminosae, in connection with his "wild bit of speculation on the crossing of plants" [see Natural selection, p. 71].
Thanks GB for information on Leguminosae, especially about those with apetalous flowers and almost without anthers.
Thanks GB for information on apetalous flowers. "The whole order [Leguminosae] will remain my detestable enemies."
Thanks GB for his help on naturalised plants; comments on spreading of plants.
Wants to quote GB on the names of species and varieties of Silene on which C. F. von Gärtner experimented.
Thinks GB will be disappointed in his book [Natural selection]. "It will be grievously too hypothetical."
For his studies on fertility of crosses, asks GB to mark a list of pairs of Cucubalus as to whether they are varieties of the same species, or distinct species.
Thanks GB for his answers [to 2184], which were as explicit as he expected. Cucubalus viscosus and italicus are extremely sterile together; all other forms extremely fertile. Other instances of infertility found by Gärtner.
Thanks WJH for an extract on seed transport by sea. [Letter sent with 2314.]
At Hooker’s request, sends his copy of Gärtner [Bastarderzeugung (1849)], "shamefully scribbled over".
Charles Darwin [CD] has not been absent from JDH's thoughts during the long break in their correspondence. He probably spoke too strongly about CD's species work & barnacles. speculates that CD was once prone to theoretical considerations about species & unaware of certain difficulties which JDH thought a more intimate acquaintance with species might clear up. Hence was pleased CD took up a difficult group like barnacles. CD's theories have progressed but JDH is not converted. He thought the transitions from one form to another in Sikkim would be more apparent. CD reasons rightly about JDH's Yangma valley; it is undoubtedly a vast moraine. He rejects the Himalayas as an independent chain of mountains & seeks the axis of the great mountain system between the Yarou river & the plains of India. He considers the glaciers of the Himalayan range unrivalled & is convinced they are receding. Explains that it is a double chain likes CD's Andes. [Thomas] Thomson [TT] & [Hugh] Falconer [HF] both regard the greatest Asiatic axis as a sub meridional one. The whole mountain system is incredibly complicated & he exceedingly doubt's Humboldt's system of six Mountain chains. Letter continues under date of 7 Apr. JDH now with HF at Honorable East India Company Botanic Gardens. HF had kept all his letters & overland parcels for five months due to insane procrastination but is now forgiven. HF's society is as ever delightful. HF no longer associates with the Asiatic Society. JDH received CD's Feb letter today & learned that the cold water system has done him much good but is not a cure, JDH sends congratulations on the Darwins' seventh child. JDH came to Calcutta [Kolkata] to persuade Jung Bahadur [JB] to let him travel in Nepal but JB cannot guarantee his safety while absent in England. JDH will therefore go instead to Sylhet then the Khassya [Khasia] Hills & Munnipore [Manipur] with [TT].
No summary available.
Spoke too harshly about CD’s involvement in nomenclatural reform.
JDH used to think CD "too prone to theoretical considerations about species", hence was pleased CD took up a difficult group like barnacles. CD’s theories have progressed but JDH not converted. Sikkim has not cleared up his doubts about CD’s doctrines.
Argument with Falconer.