Pleased to learn that HD has resumed research on Anoplura.
Are Chiloe pediculi a distinct species?
Do lice differ on different races of humans?
Is there evidence supporting Mr Marshall’s statement about Polynesian lice?
"Climbing plants" sent off.
Encourages JDH to include notes on gradation of important characters in Genera plantarum or to write a paper on the subject. Has given prominence to gradation of unimportant characters in climbing plants. Believes that it is common for the same part in an individual plant to be in different states. Same may be true of important parts – for example position of ovule may differ.
Two articles in last Natural History Review interested him; "Colonial floras" [n.s. 5 (1865): 46–63]
and "Sexuality of cryptogams" [n.s. 5 (1865): 64–79].
Fact of similarity of orders in tropics is extremely curious. Thinks it may be connected with glacial destruction.
Leo Lesquereux says he is a convert for the curious reason that CD’s books make birth of Christ and redemption by grace so clear to him!
"Not one question [for JDH] in this letter!"
Cannot come until week from Saturday.
Worked to death by Genera plantarum.
His distress that his engagement has been broken off.
Sends copies of two papers ["On the parrots of the Malayan region", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1864): 279–97;
"On the physical geography of the Malay Archipelago", J. R. Geogr. Soc. 33 (1863): 217–34].
Comments on his Primula paper [see 4213].
Describes his situation in Calcutta.
Criticises Duke of Argyll’s address [to the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1864)] and demurs on Argyll’s "new birth" theory.
Agrees with CL on beauty.
Enjoyed hearing of Princess Royal’s discussion [on Darwinism].
CD’s illness.
CL’s advice on chapter [of Variation] on dogs was excellent.
Species of lice and the animals they infest. Different kinds of dogs, fowls, and pigeons are infested by the same species of Pediculi [see Descent 1: 219].
John Scott has arrived in Calcutta and has been given an appointment by Thomas Anderson.
Thanks JEG for congratulations [on Copley Medal?].
Mentions JEG’s illness.
Pleased at receiving CD’s letter.
HWB informs him of favourable notice of the mimetic paper [in Wiegmann’s Arch. Naturgesch. 29 (1863) pt 2: 315–19].
He is pleased with his post [Asst. Sec. of Royal Geographical Society].
Returns [Andrew] Murray’s paper;
especially values HD’s note that the same species of lice infect the different varieties of fowl, pigeon, and dog. Further queries about the relationship of the same species of pediculi to different domestic varieties.
Commends ARW’s papers on parrots
and on the theory of geographical distribution [see 4750].
Wild pigs in Aru Islands must have been introduced and later ran wild. Does ARW have an opinion on the subject?
Orders that one of CD’s Porto Santo rabbits be killed and sent to him.
Asks whether ADB has got young from mating these with females of other breeds.
Sends papers with comments. Convinced that the Aru pig is a species peculiar to New Guinea fauna, not a domestic animal that ran wild.
Admires CD’s paper ["Three forms of Lythrum", Collected papers 2: 106–31].
Exchange of photographs.
Aru pigs present perplexing case, whether wild or domesticated.
Hugh Falconer’s death great loss to science.
His own health has been especially bad this last week.
Is glad MTM is going to experiment on Passiflora.
Is grieved to hear that John Scott has been inaccurate but cannot think he recorded, in his paper, experiments that he never made [see 4485].
"Read a letter from Mr Darwin expressing his regret that the state of his health would not permit of his writing an Introductory Chapter to the Translation of Gaertner’s work [Bastarderzeugung im Pflanzenreich (1849)]."
Falconer’s illness and suffering. His great ability and knowledge.
CD’s paper ["Climbing plants"] went extremely well [at Linnean Society]. M. T. Masters and Bentham commented.
He has finished MEW’s work on hybrid willows [Die Bastardbefruchtung im Planzenreich (1865)] and sends his thanks. The extreme frequency of hybrid willows is new to CD, and he finds the explanation of their numbers in certain locations ingenious.
Comments on the criticism of Gärtner’s view of reversion
and the differences between MEW and Naudin.
CD now has doubts regarding his own view that hybrids are sterile from not being perfectly accommodated to their conditions of life.