Sends answer to Wedgwood’s query
and is sorry to hear CD is again unwell.
His book is progressing very slowly.
Asks that CD not make use of any of the facts about generative organs in beetles for he finds "such a chaos of statements" that facts are not to be depended upon.
Still working on book and has completed 620 out of 700 pages.
Rewrote memoir [on mimicry in Amazon Lepidoptera] for Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. [23 (1862): 495–566].
Edwin Brown, HWB’s earliest naturalist friend, will have a hard time classifying Carabi as he is unable to travel.
Gratified by CD’s approval of paper which was also praised by Hooker and Wallace. Only cares for one other opinion, that of C. Felder of Vienna. He finds ordinary entomologists are not scientific men. Asks for more criticisms; desires to publish paper in a widely circulating journal to advertise his book.
Has sent copy of his paper to Asa Gray.
Melastomad flowers are strikingly neglected by pollinators.
Murray has ordered many illustrations for HWB’s Naturalist on the river Amazons.
Wallace noticed that melastomads in Malay archipelago were visited by small Hymenoptera.
Darwinism discussed at the last meeting of the Zoological Society. The Darwinians had the best of it.
HWB has committed the "folly" of marriage [to Sarah Ann Mason, 15 Jan 1863].
Printing of vol. 1 [of Naturalist on the river Amazons] is nearly finished.
Preparations under way to move to London account for delay in thanking CD for his review [Collected papers 2: 87–92].
His book is finished, and he is sending a copy to CD; owing to the great expense few copies will be sent to reviewers.
Expresses hope that CD is ready to pronounce sentence on his book;
he relates his financial position and mentions that he hopes to get a position at the British Museum.
His satisfaction at CD’s acceptance of book as well as total public acceptance. Murray has given him a £250 advance. His pleasure at Asa Gray’s words.
Next task will be to write on origin [of species] by segregation of local races.
HWB’s concern over CD’s poor health.
Gives accounts of reviews of his book in the Times and in the Revue des Deux-Mondes by E.-D. Forgues ["Un naturaliste sous l’équateur", Rev. Deux-Mondes 46 (1863): 703–37].
Thanks CD for the A. Gray review of his paper [see 4022].
Reports his current work is a monograph on Mantidae.
Returns Gray’s review [of paper on mimetic analogy, Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 285–90]
and expresses his sorrow over CD’s health.
Pleased at receiving CD’s letter.
HWB informs him of favourable notice of the mimetic paper [in Wiegmann’s Arch. Naturgesch. 29 (1863) pt 2: 315–19].
He is pleased with his post [Asst. Sec. of Royal Geographical Society].
Expresses pleasure at signs of CD’s recovery.
HWB’s work on the identification of species of the genus Colobthea; relates the large number of modifications that occur in the sexual organs of closely allied species. Does not doubt that this contributes greatly to multiplication of species in nature.
He encloses a portrait and asks for one of CD.
He has sent mimetic paper to B. D. Walsh.
Mentions work at Royal Geographical Society on N. Pole business [plans for an Arctic expedition, eventually postponed until 1875–6].
HWB sends a copy [missing] of Boutakoff’s letter, explaining that the deer were saiga antelopes and the islands were new discoveries.
Sexual ornamentation of insects: coloration of Epicalia genus [of tropical S. American butterflies];
horned genera of lamellicorn beetles [see Descent 1: 370, 388].
Wallace brought CD’s question about gay-coloured caterpillars before the Entomological Society. Members now seeking explanations.
Working on sexual differences in collection of horned beetles and will send CD results.
Answers CD’s questions [sent on behalf of Miss Tollet of Betley Hall, Staffs.] on mimicry – how it helps prevent extinction, the modifications occurring with a change of habitat until mimicry occurred.
Also gives some cases of sexual differences.
Has put question of proportion of sexes in insects to the Entomological Society. Quotes H. T. Stainton and F. Smith. Cites some cases mentioned by other members.
Is reading Variation; does not quite understand Pangenesis.
Comments on J. O. Westwood’s entomological nomenclature.
Discusses the organs for stridulation in Orthoptera [see Descent 1: 352ff].
Finds no absolute differences in size of sexes of Copridae. Gives several other genera in which males are larger than females.
Confirms his view of stridulation organ of house cricket. [see Descent 1: 354–5.]
Tells CD of a powerful convert to Darwinism: H. von Kiesenwetter of Berlin.
Results of his examination of divergence in sexual coloration of tropical American butterflies. [See Descent 1: 389 on Junonia and Papilio.]
