Showing 1–20 of 33 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
The embryology of the vertebrate nervous system may be an exception to the law of inheritance at corresponding ages.
Observations from a fortnight in Lochaber. Found the entrance to Loch Treig to present the clearest evidence of intense glacial action. States, in contradiction of David Milne-Home, that there is glacial scoring in Glen Spean, as Louis Agassiz described, and moraine around the mouth of Loch Treig. There is little sign of water erosion on the rocks crossed by the lines in Glen Roy. Believes the smoothed rocks at the eastern end of Loch Laggan are due to flow from the lake and not tidal action. The lines in Glen Roy are too neat for a lake shore subject to tides. Given the glacial scoring sweeping round from Glen Spean into Glen Treig, and all the boulders, TFJ is astonished that anyone could deny that there had been glaciers there. [See 3247.]
Has modified the statements about bees visiting clover for honey in 3d ed. of Origin. Can correspondent find out if clover in Lowestoft district was a second crop?
Is certain he never had Morren’s paper from JOW or heard of it before JOW’s note; will write to Gardeners’ Chronicle about it [see 3252].
Thanks for the two Sphinx moths; unfortunately the pollen-masses do not belong to orchids but to Asclepias.
Asks whether R. B. Todd’s Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology [1835–59] has an article on fertilisation of orchids.
GR’s letter is a gold-mine.
Pleased to have Pierre Gratiolet’s comment on the embryology of greatly modified organs
and GR’s valuable cases of analogous variation.
Doubts craniologists, but recounts his father’s opinion that the shape of CD’s head was altered when he returned from the Beagle.
After much crossing, has worked out meaning of dimorphism in Primula.
Has read TFJ’s letter on Glen Roy. His arguments seem conclusive. CD gives up the ghost. "My paper is one long gigantic blunder." How rash it is "to argue that because a case is not one thing it must be some second thing which happens to be known to the writer".
Sends an enclosure [a letter from T. F. Jamieson, see 3247].
"I am smashed to atoms about Glen Roy. My paper was one long gigantic blunder."
Requests the names of the parents of Gladiolus gandavensis and six varieties for the purpose of determining their probable origin.
Absence of organic remains in many deposits.
Discusses presence of marine animals near icebergs.
Comments on former geological state of England.
Asks that a copy of Origin [3d ed.] be sent to Mlle Clémence-Auguste Royer; she has arranged with a publisher for a French translation.
Origin is exciting much attention in Germany.
Surprised to receive a Dutch translation.
Has never seen an advertisement [of 3d ed.], which is a pity. Hopes "Bishop of Oxford & Co." have not made JM sorry he published it.
Has put Drosera off while amusing himself with Primula and orchids.
Dionaea is prettily adapted to weight detection.
Requests orchid specimens from Arethuseae division for his investigation of the many contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insect agency.
Asks whether Charles Morren has published on the fertilisation of orchids by insect agency.
Two correspondents report fertilising Vinca rosea by imitating the action of an insect inserting its proboscis. Another says his Vinca rosea seed profusely without artificial fertilisation. CD asks what might explain the difference in results. In the latter instance, are the plants kept in a greenhouse with windows left open, so that moths could get access at night?
Discusses CL’s correspondence with T. F. Jamieson. Comments on Jamieson’s theory that the roads of Glen Roy were formed by a glacial lake. Discusses elevation of Scotland during the glacial period.
Is interested in cases of dimorphism like Primula. Discusses Primula and Linum.
U. S. politics and relations with England.
Wants examples of dimorphism similar to Primula.
Structure and function of Spiranthes flower.
Observations and experiments on Drosera.
CD’s views on design.
Comments on MS of HF’s address ["On the method of Mr Darwin in his treatise on the origin of species", Rep. BAAS (1861) pt 2: 141–3]. "How odd it is that anyone should not see that all observation must be for or against some view if it is to be of any service."
Describes his health.
The response to his views in Germany, Holland, and Russia.
The Primula experiments of J. Sidebotham; HCW’s distrust of the results [see J. Sidebotham, "Specific identity of the cowslip and the primrose", Phytologist 3 (1849): 703–5].
Asks JM’s opinion on publishing his MS on orchids. It has new facts, and resembles a Bridgewater Treatise, but only those who care for natural history would be interested. Would share the risk.