The potato seeds were collected in 1835 from tubers in a remote area of the Cordilleras of Chile and were certainly wild. Refers him to Journal [of researches, p. 347].
Recommends Ernst Dieffenbach for expedition to Guatemala.
Lateral teeth in Arcadae.
Orders John Pye Smith’s book [Relations between the Holy Scriptures and some parts of geological science (1839)].
Gives CD page references [in The new statistical account of Scotland, vol. 14, pp 446, 507] for information regarding parallel roads.
Describes results of experiments on cobwebs, "neither spider or anything else had caused a line to disappear". Apologises for having to draw this conclusion as she had cheered him so in his work on species.
Hybrid geese.
Enclosed MS by Lieut. W. Christopher misrepresents CD’s views. Contains errors in zoology.
Encloses letter and paper to be forwarded to B. J. Sulivan.
Discusses printing of a plate [for South America (1846)].
Note on editorial details concerning names of fossil shells [for South America, appendix]. The Latin for "Darwin" is "Darvinius".
Thanks JWL for having acceded to CD’s wish to acquire a piece of land to provide a sheltered walk at Down.
Describes his reasoning in classifying CD’s Turritella ambulacrum specimens into two sorts. GBS holds that distinguishing characters, whether of species or varieties, should always be noticed. [See South America, appendix, pl. III, fig. 49.]
Disappointed with Webb and Berthelot.
Delighted to hear of more species from the Galapagos, surprised to hear W. Indian character of flora.
Sends identifications of CD’s Bahia Blanca fossil shells [see 830].
Goes on the assumption that each species has one origin, is immutable, and migrates.
Disagrees with Gaudichaud[-Beaupré] that volcanic island species are polymorphous.
Some mundane genera vary, others do not (Senecio vs Gnaphalium).
John Lindley’s doctrine of longevity of trees is amazing.
Edward Forbes’s health is better.
Will come to visit Kew if Claude Gay speaks English. Otherwise would prefer to wait until spring.
Gives his opinion on the tropical character of fossil shells listed by CD. The shells of Navidad [Chile] are not particularly tropical.
Will visit JDH in spring.
Will JDH ask Gay what birds, reptiles, or mammifers inhabit Juan Fernández [Island]?
Has JDH seen William Herbert’s paper ["Local habitation and wants of plants", J. Hortic. Soc. Lond. 1 (1846): 44–9]?
Thinks JDH’s explanation of polymorphism on volcanic islands is probably correct.
Proposes experimental test to see whether alpine form of a plant is inherited like a true variety.
