Had hoped to sent specimens by carrier that day; intends to sent them next Thursday.

Thanks for German scientific newspaper: two articles interested him.

CD proposes to call for tea if he is well enough on Thursday.

Will return books, and asks for more.

Has altered and added to HES’s list [compiled for Bibliographia zoologiæ et geologiæ, edited by Louis Agassiz and enlarged by HES, (1848–54)].

On zoological nomenclature CD cites a case in which he believes more harm than good would be done by following the rule of priority. Thinks the rule of the first describer’s name being attached in perpetuity to a species has been the greatest curse to natural history. Every genus of cirripedes has a half-dozen names and not one careful description.

Sends a paper he once wrote [missing] on the subject [of zoological nomenclature].

Responds to CD’s two objections to the principles involved in the "Rules of zoological nomenclature": (1) that strict enforcement of the rule of priority would cause much inconvenience, and (2) attaching name of the first describer in perpetuity puts a premium on careless description by "species mongers".

Thanks WJH for information on J. D. Hooker’s progress.

J. D. Hooker promised a copy of his Galapagos paper. Can WJH forward one to the Athenaeum?

Physical description of Sikkim mountains.

Travelling through Kinchin snows.

Transported boulders.

Continues prior letter of this date. Has received CD’s [1202]. Thanks CD for saving his correspondence.

Sent "a yarn about species" in October mail.

Some "puerile" JDH letters printed in Athenæum.

Requests CD extract anything valuable from his letters to CD and Lyell for Athenæum.

CD’s complemental males in barnacles wonderful.

Warns CD to drop his battle about perpetuity of names in species descriptions.

JDH writes to Darwin about his travels in Sikkim, specifically Kinchin [Kanchenjunga]. Account of other parts of travels, incl. Nepal, were set to Lyell. Discusses the geography of the region, comprised of many mountain spurs & two great rives, one the Teesta. Native villages built on terraces, not usually found above 5000 ft. Valleys are steep & clad in forest to 12000 ft. Discusses effect in varying mean elevation on vegetation e.g. tropical flora advances further North in Nepal. There is geological evidence of a larger body of water than the current rivers once covering the land, notably deposit of red clay to 12000 ft. Makes further detailed geological observations including notable lack of feldspar. Notes that holy lakes have no outlet but drain away underneath, describes visiting the largest of the lakes & rite performed there. Letter includes diagrams showing cross sections of the mountain ridges. Mentions a Bhothea temple: Catsuperri Goompa. Describes meeting [Archibald] Campbell & Sikkim Rajah at Teesta River & climbing a Mt with the former as high as an abandoned Buddhist Temple with an impressive view towards Bhutan & Nepal. Descended to the Great Rungeet River. Visited Pemiongchi convents with impressive paintings. Describes Yoksun [Yoksom] village, notable for being on rare flat ground, & ascent of Ratong Valley. Observes that abandoned salt trading post, Jongri, 13000 ft, is on a spur unusually covered with gravel mounds, granite boulders & little lake beds with shingle deposits, the formation of which is a mystery. Observes typical glacial & snow bed features appear in great number in Ratong Valley. Compares the forming spurs here to those in Nepal. Describes the peak of Pundim: made from Gneiss & veins of plutonic rock capped with white rock. Ends with some observations on quartz, mica schist & stratified rocks & absence of Hornblends augite or volcanic minerals. Sends regards to Wedgewoods & Bell.

JDH received letter of Oct 6, concerning poor health of Darwin. Requests that his own letters containing speculations are kept or recorded for future discussion at Down. Congratulates Lyell on his Knighthood, & Mrs Lyell. Pamphlets by Hodgson sent Oct 2. He exclaims what have Barnacles to do with ornamental poultry. He refers to his unacknowledged account of the cattle hunt in Ross’ VOYAGE [OF DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH IN THE SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC REGIONS]. He regrets the unfavourable review of his letters by the ATHENAEUM, for his father’s sake. He refers to his father’s & Bessy’s [Elizabeth Hooker]poor health. Requests that extracts from his letters to Darwin or Lyell concerning the highest mountain in the world [Kanchenjunga] be sent to the ATHENAEUM to re-establish his credit. He compares his own industry with Humboldt’s natural talents. Lightheartedly compares Barnacle behaviour with polygamy of Bothea [Bhotia] women & refers to work on Cirripedes. He urges Darwin not to fight for the perpetuity of names, referring to the pride & conflicting interests amongst naturalists, & to the fields of mineralogy & chemistry, & to Humboldt & Henslow. He discusses the presidential post [of the Asiatic Society] & dispute between Colevile & Falconer & the correspondence with them. Falconer has gone to Moulmain [Mawlamyine] to report on the Teak Timber & JDH has not heard from him in 6 months whilst a 'nobody' has been put in charge of the [Calcutta Botanic] garden. He describes the altitude sickness he suffered at 1500 feet in the 'snowy passes' & doubts he could climb beyond 1800 feet.

HES’s arguments are of great weight, but CD cannot yet bring himself to reject well-known names for obscure ones. Sends four cases that he thinks will stagger HES. Cites his problems in classifying cirripedes. CD cannot bear to give new names, yet may do wrong to attach old ones. Not one species is correctly defined. The harm done by "species mongers".

His memory of his recently deceased father is a treasure to him.

Thanks WDF for information on the water-cure. Dislikes the thought of it.

Reports results of his experiments with tied-up fruit-trees.

The priority rule has only diverted vanity to a rush to be first. Has no objection to CD’s suggestion that good books be quoted in preference to first descriptions if there is a chance by this means of developing this silly vanity into ambition to advance knowledge. Still, this must not affect the rule of priority. Responds to CD’s four cases.

Requests JPM’s assistance by lending or giving him cirripede specimens. The anatomy of cirripedes has been most imperfectly done, and their classification is a perfect chaos.

HES’s letter will fructify to some extent: CD will try to be more faithful to rigid virtue and priority. Would not adopt his own notion in cirripede book without prior approval by others. Will not append "Darwin" to any of his species. Feels sure many others share his aversion.

Asks HES’s opinion on retention of generic name Conchoderma.

Clarifies the notion and use of type-species and applies it to CD’s problem with Conchoderma.

Asks for account on South America and sales of Coral reefs and Volcanic islands.

Thanks HES for solving his problem. Has some difficulty with HES’s type-species. In arranging genera in a natural order it is often impossible to say which species should be considered the type.

Thanks him for cirripede specimens.

Thanks RO for his note on Conchoderma hunteri [see Living Cirripedia 1: 153].

Has been very unwell; has lost four-fifths of his time. Will go to Malvern to try the water-cure for his vomiting, which regular doctors cannot cure.

Has done some pretty homological work with cirripedes.