Accepts invitation.
Showing 41–60 of 100 items
Accepts invitation.
ARW’s wife will accompany him to Down.
On sounds produced by Euchirus longimanus beetle. Sends a pair by post.
Submits a 15–point argument against CD’s views on the coloration of female birds and insects.
Sexual differences in coloration. Sexual selection versus natural selection as explanations. ARW continues to argue against sexual selection, saying that natural selection, in keeping the female dull for protection, would account for differences in sexual colouring more effectively than inheritance and partial transmission of sexually selected male colours. Colours of female birds of paradise. Protective coloration. Disagrees with CD on coincidence of hidden nests and bright colours of females.
Dedication of Malay Archipelago to CD.
Comments on scientific papers.
Argues that [general variability] of species, not single variations or sports, is basis for modification and adaptation to new conditions.
Weir’s paper on relation of protection to colour of caterpillars [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1869): 21–6; (1870): 337–9] confirms ARW’s hypothesis.
Comments on Fritz Müller’s book [Facts and arguments for Darwin].
Responds to CD’s corrections of his work [Malay Archipelago].
Plumage of birds of paradise.
Expands upon their differences in regard to man and the question of the existence of forces not yet recognised by science.
Asks whether sexual selection could produce the changing plumules or "battledore" scales on the wings of certain butterflies.
Looks forward to Descent, though he expects to find more to differ with than in any other of CD’s books.
Problems of usefulness of incipient organs and of the independent origin of similar complex organs are real difficulties.
Plans a little book on "Distribution of animals".
Inquires about arrangements for the German translation and publication of their original Linnean Society papers [Collected papers 2: 3–19].
ARW thinks he has hit upon a solution to problem of geological time.
Pleasure in ARW’s approbation of the Origin. Other supporters among scientists. ARW’s generosity.
Attacks by Owen, Sedgwick, and others.
Anticipation of natural selection by Matthew in 1830.
Quarterly Review piece written by Bishop Wilberforce with aid of Owen.
Other reviews mentioned.
Health.
Family illnesses.
On disposition of wild honeycomb gift.
Discounts the difficulty presented by ostrich wings.
Baffling problems with Melastoma. Appreciates ARW’s help with it and the "gorze case".
Has read report of ARW’s paper [to Newcastle BAAS meeting, "On the geographical distribution of animal life"] in the Reader [2 (1863): 352–3].
Asa Gray’s high opinion of ARW as a reviewer [reference to S. Haughton’s paper on bees’ cells, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 11 (1863): 415–29, reviewed by ARW in "Remarks on the Rev. S. Haughton’s paper", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 12 (1863): 303–9].
Has seen that ARW has read a paper to the Linnean Society.
Thinks that Herbert Spencer’s Social Statics (Spencer 1851) would be too deep for him.
Response to ARW’s papers on Papilionidae ["On the phenomena of variation and geographical distribution", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 25 (1866): 1–71; abstract in Reader 3 (1864): 491–3],
and man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].
The former is "really admirable" and will be influential.
The idea of the man paper is striking and new. Minor points of difference. Conjectures regarding racial differences; the possible correlation between complexion and constitution. His Query to Army surgeons to determine this point. Offers ARW his notes on man, which CD doubts he will be able to use.
On sexual selection in "our aristocracy"; primogeniture is a scheme for destroying natural selection.
[Letter incorrectly dated March by CD.]