Is "stomachy and be-blue-devilled" because of costs of publishing [Zoology and Coral reefs]. Wonders how the remainder [of the Zoology and Geology of "Beagle"] can be published without taking £200 or £300 out of their personal funds.
Glad to hear that LJ will repeat his notes to Gilbert White’s [Natural history of] Selborne [1843] in a separate work.
Critical of G. R. Gray’s attaching his own name to Furnarius cunicularius [in Birds, pp. 65–6]. Strickland’s nomenclature laws are needed to check egoism.
Acknowledges Mrs H’s disappointing answer to his quest for a house in the country. Five miles from a railway station is "the length of my tether".
Is sending fish skins and bottles off to Cambridge Philosophical Society.
Fish numbers [of Zoology], now finished, give CD satisfaction when he doubts whether he ought to have applied for Government money.
Wishes Thomas Bell would finish his part [Reptiles].
CD has just corrected last page of index of Coral reefs.
Gives instructions for sending out copies of Coral reefs to various journals. Discusses the complimentary copies which have already been sent out.
Comments on HES’s Report ["Report of a committee … (on) nomenclature of zoology", Rep. BAAS 12 (1842): 105–21]. Suggests limit be put to changing names that are only partially erroneous to prevent those who detect the error from coining new names and attaching their own. HES’s rule for "authority for a species" is difficult, though on the whole best. Suggests stating it boldly to prevent appropriation of species names by "tacker[s] of two old names together".
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
Sending the results of his calculations of the parallaxes of the southern stars. Has recommended these stars to Thomas Maclear to observe.
Was hoping to send him some positive paper, but has been unable to prepare this due to a medical problem. Did make a sheet or two today. Returns some of the specimens JH sent him but would like to keep those made by JH himself.
It is a long time since he thanked him for the assistance in becoming a member of the R.S.L. and the R.A.S. Doubtless his work at the Cape was a great success. Hoped to visit England again but seems improbable now. Sends J. F. Encke's memoir for the R.S.L., R.A.S. and JH. Is very interested in his memoir on the variable light of Orionis. C. F. Gauss continues his magnetism.
Asks whether JH will be prepared to give the committee report on systems of simultaneous magnetical and meteorological observations at the B.A.A.S. meeting on 23 June.
Asks whether JH will be prepared to present the committee report on N. L. Lacaille's stars at the B.A.A.S. meeting on 23 June.