Discusses exchange of photographs with Édouard Claparède, "for whom I feel the highest respect".
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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.
Discusses exchange of photographs with Édouard Claparède, "for whom I feel the highest respect".
Asks correspondent whether, when growing hollyhocks, he finds it necessary to space out the different varieties to prevent crossing and thus to obtain true seed [see Variation 2: 108].
Discusses unusual primula flowers and asks for details of Rawson’s experiments with gladioli. Asks for loan of Cypripedium but admits he will probably mutilate it.
Testimony by the parishioners of Down, Kent, to the moral character and integrity of George Snow, District Surveyor. Signed by nearly fifty local residents, including CD.
JL’s review of Lyell’s Antiquity of man (1863) [Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 3 (1863): 211–19].
Owen’s review of W. B. Carpenter in Athenæum [28 Mar 1863, pp. 417–19].
Comments on MTM’s article ["On the existence of two forms of peloria", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 3 (1863): 258–62]. Cites interesting case of peloric flower.
Thanks HWB for his book [Naturalist on the river Amazons]. Feels sure it will often be alluded to in other works.
Asa Gray is fascinated by the "Butterfly paper" ["Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon valley", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 495–566].
Working on monstrous Primula. Is ovule anatropous as Asa Gray says, or amphitropous? Does he know natural path of pollen tubes in Primula. Can the tube enter the ovule by the chalaza?
Encourages JS to publish on sterility of orchids and to experiment on Passiflora.
Doubted Hooker’s poppy case.
Describes case of primrose with three pistils: when pulled apart allowed pollen to be placed directly on ovules. This supports JS’s explanation of H. Crüger’s case.
Asks WHF to obtain photographs of skull of ox for J. L. A. Quatrefages de Bréau.
Sends two spikes of Corydalis.
Admits he may have drawn false inference from MTM’s division of peloria into two classes.
The niata is a very good case because the race is well established and must originate in South America. There is a description of the head by [Richard] Owen in the Descriptive catalogue of the osteological collection of the College of Surgeons.
Has observed modifications in the skeletons of rabbits, ducks, poultry, and pigeons. There is an extract about modifications in pigeons in the first chapter of Origin. Encloses a woodcut of crested or polish fowls; there is a change in the brain as well as in the exterior bones.
Thanks for information on Primula ovules. From what DO says the pollen-tubes ought to find their way to the micropyle.
Discusses the repayment of a loan made by CD to DTA and F. Ransome.
Sends GB a selection of reviews of the Origin from his collection of about 90, with his opinion of some of them.
Likes JDH’s review of Alphonse de Candolle [Mémoires et souvenirs de A. P. de Candolle (1862)].
Falconer’s article on Lyell ["Primitive man. What led to the question?", Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] too severe.
CD has written a letter to the Athenæum "to say, under the cloak of attacking Heterogeny, a word in my own defence" [Collected papers 2: 78–80].
Bates’s Travels [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)] are excellent.
Describes a letter he has written to the Athenæum in which he mentions CL’s views on species modification ["Doctrine of heterogeny", Collected papers 2: 78–80].
Comments on criticism of Lyell’s book [Antiquity] by Falconer and others.
Mentions his eczema.
Invites the Lyells to visit.
Has finished vol. 1 [of Naturalist on the river Amazons]. CD praises book as "best ever published in England".
The review in the Athenæum was cold, as always, and insolent.
Attacks the doctrine of "heterogeny" (spontaneous generation during each geological period) as completely lacking in evidence.
Defends natural selection as connecting large classes of facts in natural history. That certain forms have not changed since remote epochs is not an objection of any force.
Fears England and U. S. will drift into war; he and AG must "keep to Science".
Thanks for facts on Incas; regrets he has always avoided the case of man.
Has sent his Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].
Is it true that Ohio has legislated against marriage of cousins?
Can AG explain the invariable angles in phyllotaxy; are they the consequence of packing in the early bud?
Owen’s comments on heterogeny in the Athenæum [28 Mar 1863] have vexed W. B. Carpenter; CD has replied [Collected papers 2: 78–80].
Hopes AG will observe Gymnadenia; John Scott has been experimenting on its fertilisation.
Gives his observation on pollination of Cypripedium.