CD and J. D. Hooker have differed on the following question and agreed to ask several botanists: would a good botanist describing a local flora record varieties as readily in large as in small genera?

Gives some observations on birds; has forwarded a box of specimens.

Fertilisation of clover by bees in New Zealand.

Uneasy about biggest genera and their varieties.

H. T. Buckle’s sophistry [History of civilisation in England (1857)].

Working on bees’ cells.

Believes that botanists tend to mark more varieties in large than in small genera, but notes that where many varieties of a species exist these varieties may well be passed over, whereas similar varieties of another species which are fewer in number may well be recorded.

Botanical practice can confuse CD’s compilations. Many small genera would have been species had the whole natural order [family] been known.

JDH’s low opinion of Buckle;

high opinion of Mrs Farrer.

Identifies an ant described by CD and discusses the predatory habits of Formica sanguinea.

Describes some wasps’ nests.

CD intends to enter WED at Christ’s College.

Thanks him for inquiries made about horses.

JDH has confirmed CD’s opinion on the affinities of species in great genera. Is looking at large genera in several local Floras to find the "range & commonness of varying species".

Has been "beyond measure interested" in the construction instincts of the hive-bee.

States his belief that there is a tendency to note varieties in the larger genera rather than in the very small ones.

Notes views of Hooker and George Bentham on monotypic forms.

Has tabulated several floras and finds that large genera show preponderance in numbers of varieties. Now sees his results are quite worthless.

C. C. Babington agrees with JDH that botanists tend to note varieties more in large genera than in very small ones.

Four queries regarding the habits of bees and ants with answers by FS interlined between each query.

Heartened that tabulations of small and large genera done in different ways yield good results. JDH has done some tabulations but has not followed CD’s method of getting equal numbers of small and large genera.

JDH’s "objection" that small local genera do not vary and mundane ones do, is exactly CD’s point. Local floras useful to test idea that varieties are incipient species. Same genus in different countries cannot be lumped.

Summary of JDH’s objections to CD’s survey of floras and conclusion that large genera vary more than small.

Thanks JDH for his objections; will respond by sending fair copy of MS when written.

Discusses the ranges of species in large and small genera; difficulties involved in limiting the discussion to Britain.

Writing section on large and small genera [for Natural selection, ch. 4].

Huxley supersedes Owen on parthenogenesis.

Buckle’s History of civilisation in England extremely interesting.

List of close species taken from AG’s Manual of botany [1848].

[Copy of some rough notes.] References about species. Variations within species.