Roughly identifies some insects sent by CD; is waiting to see Francis Walker, who, he believes, has written a monograph on the family to which they belong.
Forwards carbonate of ammonia and gelatine free of chlorine.
M. J. Berkeley wrote London Review & Wkly J. Polit. article.
CD is "out of sight the best physiological observer and experimenter that Botany ever saw".
Laments how much he [JDH] missed when doing the Listera ["Functions and structure of the rostellum of Listera ovata", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 144 (1854): 259–64].
Illness of wife and father.
"More plants from Fernando Po and more European".
Has seen Francis Walker, who has identified CD’s two Hymenoptera species ["caught in Musk Orchis" – CD note].
Circulars are being sent to Army surgeons.
Discusses cases of assumed correlation, e.g., facial hair and generative organs, sexual characters in castrated oxen. Finds it difficult to see how correlation of functions which would be useless separately can be accumulated gradually through natural selection.
Has not had time to look at Rhexia.
Progress of Civil War.
Sends musk orchid.