Island floras; relationships with mainland. Ranges of species in mundane genera.

Galapagos plants one-third done.

Affinity of Galapagos with nearest Pacific islands. Relationship between ranges of species in time and space. Comparison of Malden Island and Galapagos plants. Affinities of Oceania plants with continental floras.

Thanks for information on Malden Island. Comments on its plants and their relationship to the Galapagos flora. Discusses the flora of Oceania. Gives his opinion on the extent of the uniformity in species and forms amongst South Sea Islands. Large genera are more widely diffused and have a larger proportion of species with wide ranges.

Seeks advice on expense of preparing plates [for Flora Antarctica].

Advice to JDH on problems of printing and publishing.

Remarks on differences of species between islets of Galapagos group.

[With the notation "If not there to be forwarded by favour of Prof. Liebig" on the address.] "I am very glad to hear that you are going to edit a German Geological Journal".

Asks JDH to forward publishing information to J. E. Gray.

Has received JDH’s infusorial specimens for Ehrenberg.

Gives information on the climate around the Falkland Islands and directs Wood to write to Captain Sulivan.

Writes to correct a statement made in his 1837 paper "On the formation of mould" [Collected papers 1: 49–53]. He should have said that marl was put on the field 30 years ago, not 80. Observations made on a visit to the field showed that worms had undermined the marl spread on the field at a faster rate than previously reported.

Thanks for JDH’s interesting details about the Galapagos.

Clarification of CD’s query about the relationship between the range of a genus and the ranges of its constituent species.

Answer to CD’s query on genera and species ranges.

Comments on typical forms.

Preparing first part of Galapagos plants for printing.

Thanks for information on printing charges

and for clarifying "typical forms".

In a few days CD will go away for six weeks.

Sends samples likely to contain Infusoria and some that Hooker collected in Antarctic regions.

Defines the term "typical species" and discusses its use among zoologists. Cites example of type of Carnivora. Comments on general law of development of parts in animals. Cites teeth of Carnivora.

Is puzzled by CD’s question about the Viverridae; thinks if there were only one species he might regard it as an aberrant of some other group and not select it as a type of the Carnivora.

Sends Lord Enniskillen’s account of origin of the Irish yew: transplanted from the wild; propagated by cuttings thereafter. Offspring recently raised from seed are intermediate between common and Irish [weeping] yew.

Discusses a paper on the Rio Negro.

[Recto is a list of Galapagos shells, by island, signed GBS. Verso is another list of shells in EF’s hand.]

Thanks WBC for offer to examine specimen and for offer of slices of shells, but has no achromatic microscope.

Asks if J. E. Gray has returned [printing] estimates for Zoology.

Henslow has some Galapagos plants which he forgot to forward to JDH.

Sends HD a reference to human lice from Charles White 1799.