Thanks for new part of "Statistics".

Interested in disjoined species; do they tend to belong to large or small genera, and are they generally members of small families?

Is glad AG will tackle introduced plants; has noticed that the proportion of a particular family to the whole flora tends to be similar in introduced and indigenous plants.

Thanks for AG’s remarks on disjoined species. CD’s notions are based on belief that disjoined species have suffered much extinction, which is the common cause of small genera and disjoined ranges.

Discusses out-crossing in plants.

Has failed to meet with a detailed account of regular and normal impregnation in the bud. Podostemon, Subularia, and underwater Leguminosae are the strongest cases against him.

Believes species have arisen, like domestic varieties, with much extinction, and that there are no such things as independently created species. Explains why he believes species of the same genus generally have a common or continuous area; they are actual lineal descendants.

Discusses fertilisation in the bud and the insect pollination of papilionaceous flowers. His theory explains why, despite the risk of injury, cross-fertilisation is usual in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, even in hermaphrodites.

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.

No summary available.

Thanks AG for his criticisms of CD’s views; finds it difficult to avoid using the term "natural selection" as an agent.

Discusses crossing in Fumaria and barnacles.

Has received a naturally crossed kidney bean in which the seed-coat has been affected by the pollen of the fertilising plant.

Finds the rule of large genera having most varieties holds good and regards it as most important for his "principle of divergence".

JDH characterises himself to Asa Gray as a full throated critic. He often disagrees with his Father [William Jackson Hooker], who can be stuck in old ways of thinking, JDH stops him from publishing outdated views. They clashed over the JOURNAL [OF BOTANY] work, JDH is glad it is discontinued. JDH offers Gray species of Rubiaceae, he might bring them himself if he goes to the USA this year. Has consulted Huxley re. Gray's notes on vitality & offers his comments. Discusses his thoughts on dedoublement, at length, he has discussed the theory with [George] Bentham[GB] & does not consider it logical. Mentions Gray's work on Balanophoreae. Discusses in detail Dicotyledonous exogens & the hierarchy of flowering plants, enumerating the characteristics which should define the highest type. He thinks that the 'vegetable ladder' should be arranged by physiology of the reproductive organs with organic complexity secondary: this would elevate gymnosperms above Phaenogams. [Arthur] Henfrey has found the corpuscula[?] in Gnetum, he suspects the seeds take 7 years to ripen. JDH describes the development of Gnetum ovule during fertilisation. JDH is working on East India Company Assistant Surgeon competitive examination papers & Royal Society Report for [David] Livingstone's expedition. Comments that Gray has correctly described Sambucus fruit. Describes his observations on ovules in different plant genera & families: Viburnum, Caprifol[iaceae]. Conv[olvulaceae]. Aral[iaceae]. Umbelli[ferae]. Rubiaceae, with particular reference to raphe in Lonicerae. He suspects ovule structure will lead to affinities. He discusses his study of Chimonanthus, which he places nearer Monimiaceae & Annonads than Rosaceae, calycifloral characteristics being key. JDH thinks Cumming's Morinda is new. He is sending a fruit of Ceylon [Sri Lanka] Eupyrena. GB recommends his notes on Rubiaceae. Gray could send his notes on Timonius to the Linnean journal, JDH has not received the proof of Gray's Magnolia paper.

Asks whether botanists tend to record varieties more carefully in large genera or small genera.

Wants information on the ranges of varieties of a species compared to the range of the species.

No summary available.

Discusses the variation of species in large and small genera.

Thanks AG for his list of close species.

Laments the slow progress he makes with his book [Natural selection].

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Believes that, in Dicentra, Fumaria and Corydalis, flower structures are related directly to visits from bees. Flower stigmas generally are placed in the path of bees.

Has received paper from Wallace on natural selection; has sent abstract of his notions, with Wallace’s paper, to Linnean Society.

Species migration since the Pliocene. Effect of the glacial epoch. Present geographical distribution, especially similarities of mountain floras, explained by such migration; mountain summits as remnants of a once continuous flora and fauna.

Cross-fertilisation in Fumariaceae.

No summary available.

Wishes to know whether differences in constitution (such as disease susceptibility) are related to differences in complexion. "Liability to such a disease as yellow fever would answer my question in the best possible way."

JDH hopes Asa Gray continues his U.S. EXPLORING EXPEDITION publication. JDH is studying the flora of Fiji, Tahiti & the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii] & working on a preliminary essay to FLORA TASMANIAE. He is trying to trace the extent of Australian flora in the Pacific: it goes as far as New Zealand, Norfolk Islands, New Caledonia & the New Hebrides [Vanuatu] but no further, the flora of Fiji is more Indian. Possibly the explanation lies in differing geology. He thinks that an ancient Southern Continent must be the origin of the Australian flora & explanation for there being South African types in South West Australia & Polynesian species on the East coast of the continent. Discusses evidence of type persistence in Australia: Miocene era Banksia ericifolia preserved in lava beds in Victoria, & fossil Casuarina cones from Bass Straits. However, he also has an Araucaria excelsa cone from oolite in England. He concludes that geographical ranges have changed & the old theory of absolute creation is disproved & he will work to more modern hypotheses [Darwin's natural selection] without accepting them as doctrine. It must be accepted that the formation of land & sea has changed as agents of migration such as animals, wind & currents cannot account for current species distribution. He lists his five starting hypotheses to explain distribution of species, including the evolution of new species by selection & effects of land movement. Also, enumerates how this agrees with the expected fact of evolution of species from an aboriginal condition, including the existence of greater numbers of distinct species on remote islands & the great biodiversity of the southern temperate zone considering there is so little land compared to the North. JDH wrote these thoughts at Lord Wrottesley's, he has now returned to Kew & paid Thomson's[?] debt to [William Henry?] Harvey. JDH is shocked by Alphonse de Candolle begging to be made a Foreign Fellow of the Royal Society. [Letter incomplete]

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