Glad to hear that ARW is so busy.
CD believes that he has thrown some light on the acquirement of the power of digestion in Droseraceae [in Insectivorous plants].
E. R. Lankester has been unfairly blackballed at the Linnean Society. He is to be proposed for a second time, with CD seconding the proposal. Urges ARW to attend the ballot.
Is glad ARW will attend to vote for Lankester [at the Linnean Society].
Response to ARW’s "grand and memorable work" [Geographical distribution (1876)]. Most interesting part to CD is ARW’s "protest against sinking imaginary continents".
Further detailed comments on Geographical distribution.
Base treatment [of George Darwin] by Mivart in Quarterly Review [137 (1874): 40–77].
Has finished Geographical distribution; sends his comments.
Response to Wallace’s article ["The colours of animals and plants", Macmillan’s Mag. (Sept 1877)] on sexual colours and "voluntary" sexual selection.
Further discussion of evidence for sexual selection. Prefers "conscious" to "voluntary" action. Distinguishes features that serve as charms and those that serve as challenges.
Supports Epping Forest appointment.
Continues work on vegetable physiology.
Admiration of ARW’s ["The origin of species and genera", Nineteenth Century (Jan 1880)]. Good use of Allen’s "admirable researches".
Disappointment about the Epping Forest appointment.
Farrer’s article in Fortnightly Review.
High praise for Island life; ARW’s "best book". Encloses notes of comments and criticism. Hooker pleased by dedication.
On land migration of plants. The case in Nature is striking but CD doubts that seeds of plants could be blown from mountains of Abyssinia to mountains of Madagascar.
Informs ARW of favourable reception by Gladstone of memorial respecting ARW’s services to science, and the establishment of a pension for him.
On the proprieties of thanking Gladstone and the signers of the memorial.
Will order Progress and poverty. Comments on ARW’s political interests and his own absorption in W. Graham’s The creed of science.
His sojourn at Ullswater: "life has become very wearisome to me".
At Mrs Lyell’s request, passes on a spare copy of K. M. Lyell ed. 1881.
Reports long preparation of work on how species and varieties differ. Agreement with Wallace’s conclusions as reported in Annals and Magazine of Natural History and in his letter to CD of 10 0ct [1856]. On distinction between domestic varieties and those in "a state of nature".
On mating of jaguars and leopards, the breeding of poultry, pigeons, etc.
Requests help for his experimenting on means of distribution of organic beings on oceanic islands.
Comments on agreement of their respective views on distribution.
Reference to differences on subsidence.
Reports on progress of his work and praises ARW’s investigations.
Expresses pleasure and relief at ARW’s response to joint publication of their pieces about natural selection.
Plans for the "abstract" [Origin].
Birds’ nests as evidence of variation of instincts.
Their collection of bees’ combs.
Praises ARW’s article.
Lyell’s and Hooker’s views [of species issue].
First part of Origin MS is with Murray;
CD hopes he has noticed ARW’s work fairly.
ARW is right in thinking that CD was led to believe that selection was the principle of change from studying domesticated productions and that after reading Malthus he "saw at once how to apply this principle". Geographical distribution and geological relations of extinct and recent inhabitants of S. America first led him to the subject, "Especially case of Galapagos Islds". Hooker and Lubbock are full converts and Huxley now believes in species mutation. "We shall live to see all the younger men converts."
Praises ARW’s work and spirit.
CD had actually written a letter to ARW stating he would not publish before him but was persuaded by Lyell and Hooker to allow them to act "as they thought fair & honourably".