One plant in self-sown patch of Aegilops has assumed a triticoidal character; JSH feels it may be an example of Aegilops passing to wheat.
JDH’s arguments against transmutation: 1. Plants do not show the confusion he would expect; 2. Under clearly similar physical conditions we do not find same species.
JDH’s argument against migration: commonality of alpine species. Believes migration opposes facts of botanical distribution in Van Diemen’s Land and New Zealand; prefers continental extension theory.
Agrees that Lyell’s letters shed no new light on extensions issue. Continental extensions: opposes their being hypothesised all over world.
Commonality of alpine plants damns both extension and migration.
Reports on results of forcing and other attempts to produce variations in plants. Asks for some seeds.
Is correcting his Linnean Society paper ["On the action of sea-water", Collected papers 1: 264–71].
Antarctic plants most difficult to account for on any theory. Lyell’s iceberg transportal of seeds.
Are there more representative species of American origin in Tristan da Cunha than in Kerguelen land?
Inquires about pigeons seen at Anerley show.
Thanks EN for copying a MS [on "Geographical distribution" (Natural selection, pp. 534–66)]. Increases his payment and offers EN work in the future.
Asks whether offspring of cross between African pig and common pig are fertile. Are Lord Rowland Hill’s African pigs domesticated?
Mentions pigeons’ skeletons.
Is working at a book on variation [Natural selection].
Instructions for delivering pigeons to Down.
Has Scandaroons for WBT.
Rarity of intermediate varieties.
Variability of introduced plants.
Ranges of plants common to Europe and U. S.
Tristan da Cunha flora.
Aquatic plants.
Density and diversity of plants in small plots in Kent, Keeling Islands, and Himalayas.
Asks about strains of Herefordshire cattle.
Will forward the Scandaroons.
Is crossing all his pigeons to see which are fertile.
Hopes WBT’s work on fowls’ skulls is not forestalled by T. C. Eyton who also has a grand collection of skeletons.
Asks whether number of incisors varies in domestic pigs. Is testing views of J. M. Bechstein.
Comments on TCE’s book [Herd book of Hereford cattle (1846–59)]. Mentions variations in the breed.
Will quote TCE on geese [Mag. Nat. Hist. 4 (1840): 90–2].
Problem of geographical distribution; his seed-salting experiments. Asks about distribution of seeds to islands. Do water-birds ever have dirty feet?
Could Eyton’s gamekeepers collect owl and hawk pellets? Asks for dace stomachs and contents.
Asks for cats’ skeletons.
Quotes passage from [Frédéric?] Gerard on distribution of certain Lepidoptera.
Whether or not there should be movement of particles according to Tyndall’s theory of glacial action ["Observations on glaciers", Not. Proc. R. Inst. G. B. 2: 54–8, 441–3].
CD subscribes to H. C. Sorby’s view of gneiss [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 55 (1853): 137–50].
Seed-salting.
Pigeons.
Significant differences in skeletons of domesticated rabbits.
Responds to CD’s query about the blind fauna of Mammoth Cave.
Gives information from L. Agassiz. Distribution of Crustacea, especially along southern coastlines.
On JAHdeB’s discovery of Cretaceous Chthamalus. Cites his own acceptance of negative evidence about Chthamali in Fossil Lepadidae.
Comments on JAHdeB’s cirripede drawings.
Reports on the naturalised animal life of Ascension.
Requests observations on pigeons.
Knew LE’s son [Thomas] and deplores his fate [accidental death in 1846].