Writes of the extension to Down House.
Showing 1–20 of 38 items
Writes of the extension to Down House.
Suggests CD use the common origin of the French "chef" and the English "head" or "évêque" and "bishop" to illustrate the parallels between extinction and transitional forms in language and palaeontology [see Natural selection, p. 384].
Encloses an abstract of his ideas on natural selection and the principle of divergence; the "means by which nature makes her species".
Discusses varieties and close species in large and small genera, finding some data from AG in conflict with his expectations.
Has been observing the action of bees in fertilising kidney beans and Lobelia.
Some negative results in variety tabulation survey.
Galls on wild carrot.
CD acknowledges honour of his election to the Academy.
Representative species may complicate tabulation of varieties.
Questions for Mr Anderson about horse colouring in Norway.
Has been writing an "audacious little discussion" to show that "organic beings are not perfect, only perfect enough to struggle with their competitors".
Thanks for three last lectures and the account of cirripedes.
Difficulty of classifying the higher groups.
Gives CD further details of the fertility of the offspring from cross of a yak and Indian cow, the so-called chooboos, whose fertility he has traced to the seventh generation [see Natural selection, pp. 437–8].
The returned gloves are similar to some he has already, and he would prefer a pair with stiffer bristles.
Agassiz’s superficiality and wretched reasoning powers. But he stirred up Europe on glaciers. Lyell has been working on their effects – testing work of others.
CD believes "Natural Systems" ought to be simply genealogical. "Time will come when we shall have true genealogical trees of each great kingdom of nature."
Refers to CD’s letter of "May last". ARW’s views on order of succession of species are in accordance with CD’s.
Disappointed that his paper ["On the law which has regulated the introduction of new species", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2d ser. 16 (1855): 184–96] elicited no discussion; now ARW is trying to prove it. Paper merely states the theory.
On black jaguars breeding inter se: ARW has never heard of a parti-coloured one.
Will collect no more pigeons. Is awaiting Burmese fowls’ skins coming via Berlin.
C. F. Ledebour [Flora rossica (1842–53)] particularly useful for variety tabulation. Results generally favourable.
Additions to Down House.
Last two chapters of MS took six months to write.
Thanks JSH for his magnificent present. Hopes Hooker will bring the specimens.
Have water-fowl ever been seen at Ipswich on Mr Ransome’s great tank?
No summary available.
Has received the letter and invitation. Will travel to Etchingham station and walk to Collingwood.
Asks GA for clarification of the value for the 'mean equatorial horizontal parallax' of the moon, since two different values are given by different authors.
Offers some thoughts on JH's problem [see JH's 1857-9-29], but needs additional time before commenting more fully.
Will send JS's treatise; wishes could offer something 'more intrinsically valuable' as token of gratitude for everything.
Is returning C. P. Smyth's paper ['Report on the Teneriffe Astronomical Experiment of 1856,' [R.S.P.T., 148, 165-], believing it now 'unobjectionable for publication.'