Delighted to try experiments on Drosera spathulata.
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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.
Delighted to try experiments on Drosera spathulata.
Obliged for note of 16th.
Failed to enclose letter from Hofmann.
Will be glad to read A. S. Taylor’s work [On poisons in relation to medical jurisprudence and medicine, 2d ed. (1859)].
Daughter Henrietta still weak.
Comments on letter from Jeffries Wyman.
Discusses reprinting reviews by Asa Gray.
Mentions views of W. S. Symonds on the geological record.
Discusses descent of turtles and tortoises.
The universality of variation.
Notes only a few species leave modified descendants.
Discusses Apteryx.
Variation among pigeons.
Comments on fertility among hybrids.
Does not agree that he makes natural selection do too much work.
JW’s case of black hogs shows marvellous relation of colour and constitution.
Could JW get information about eyes of cave rat?
Was JW struck by length of hind legs of male cattle?
CD has long shared JW’s doubts that mutilations were ever inherited but Brown-Séquard’s case seems to settle question.
Is not case of cats with blue eyes being deaf very odd?
Spinal stripes on horse too common to explain in way informant supposes.
Believes Owen "goes a long way with us", though he attacked CD in Edinburgh Review.
"No one other person understands me so thoroughly as Asa Gray."
Discusses views of T. V. Wollaston concerning island species related to those of mainland; possible land connection between islands and mainland.
Comments on bats of Atlantic islands.
Plant extinction on St Helena.
Experiments on Drosera.
Bronn’s objections [to the Origin] at end of his translation.
A poser: carbonate of soda produces inflection rather than contraction in Drosera. Possible solution: glands at end of hairs absorb as well as secrete. Fascinated by currents in cells after inflection.
Answers HGB’s criticism of Origin.
Explains HGB’s case of differences in rats by adaptation.
CD’s view explains homological and embryological resemblances of each type.
Does not believe all development is at same rate. Cites Australian forms.
Does not see force of objection that origin of life must be explained.
Asks if C. L. Brehm’s subspecies of birds are really characteristic of regions of Germany.
Encloses advertisement [for C. R. Bree, Species not transmutable (1860)].
Discusses Bronn’s chapter of criticisms.
Mentions variation in rats.
Has ordered book by Bree.
Discusses suggestion that southern corners of Australia may once have been islands.
Mentions "wild speculations" about change in earth’s axes.
CL’s ideas on variation.
Sends further details on the movement of the red fluid substance in Drosera. Will write a paper on it.
"Dr [C. R.] Bree ""pitches"" into me handsomely."
Requests DO apply carbonate of ammonia to sensitive hair of Dionaea and measure reaction time. Wants to compare Drosera and Dionaea.
Wants to amend request [see 2946] if DO wants to try carbonate of ammonia experiment. Put third drop on midrib of leaf [of Dionaea] or inside upper side.
Sorry DO already has Origin. Would he like Journal of Travels [Journal of researches]?
Lyell tells CD Origin still sells "pretty well", which pleases and surprises him. If a new edition should be called for, he has a good many corrections and a historical preface for it.
Orders a copy of September number of Silliman’s Journal. A friend has recommended an article in it [A. Gray and D. Treadwell, "Discussion between two readers of Darwin’s treatise on the origin of species", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 30 (1860): 226–39].
Has examined nearly all British orchids.
Hooker’s error on Listera.
Change in colour and consistency of Drosera hair glands after leaf inflection. Analogous structures in Dionaea. Requests Oliver confirm these observations on live plants, of which he has none.
In a muddle over the effects of salts on insectivorous plants.
Discusses letter from A. W. v. Hofmann concerning solution of iodine in water.
Comments on Rodwell’s discussion of the “struggle for life” with reference to languages and G. H. Lewes’s article in the Cornhill Magazine (Lewes 1860, pp. 445–7). Comments on Rodwell’s account of horses affected by mildewed pasturage, and asks for more information about his white cat.
Thanks for information and extracts.
M. A. Curtis, quoted in ["Dionaea"] Penny encyclopedia [(1837) 8: 508], gives the only full account of Dionaea.
Concurs in DO’s explanation of Dionaea footstalk cells, which CD took for stomata.
Is using carbonate of ammonia as a substitute for flies and colour change in glands as index of action on Drosera. Suspects other nitrogenous compounds do not act till decomposed into carbonate of ammonia. Beginning to write Drosera paper. Action of nitrogenous compounds.
The best way to see cell movement in Drosera hair, is to cut off those lately inflected over a fly, sketch shape of red matter under high power, and repeat after one or two minutes.
The hybrid case is most curious, if true. So many have tried to get hybrids from hare and rabbit.
Has done little regular work – correspondence on Origin has been gigantic.
Has amused himself working on power of Drosera to catch flies.
Is thinking of publishing AG’s three-part Origin review [from Atlantic Monthly] in England.