Asks by what action CD believes bee, spider, and fly orchids came to resemble their namesakes

and how the beauty of bivalves could have been produced by natural or sexual selection.

Discusses the different strata of the ocean and [William] Carpenter's lecture on deep sea dredging. Is digging an artesian well.

Has completed a memoir on the Aymara Indians of Bolivia [J. Ethnol. Soc. n.s. 2 (1870): 193–305] and is going to lecture on them.

Believes he has data relevant to CD’s work on man.

Orders seeds, ripened in Algiers; imported seed would be of no use. [Forwarded to Algiers by JDH, see 7272.]

In his reply to [7227] CD questions the significance of the supposed likeness of the bee, spider, and fly orchids to their presumed namesakes.

He thinks that the beauty of shells is altogether incidental and of no use to the animals.

Cannot attend Eclipse Committee meeting but suggests that an observer carefully look for planets interior to Mercury's orbit, which would, if existing, reach conjunction during total solar eclipses.

Sends maps of U. S. Far West for CD to follow explorations.

Thanks for RAvK’s work [Anatomisch-systematische Beschreibung der Alcyonarien, pt 1, Die Pennatuliden (1870)].

Asks whether muscles to quills of porcupine are striped. Are they homologous to muscles of ordinary hairs? Could unstriped muscles develop into striped?

Asks about birds erecting feathers when enraged or frightened. Interested in examples of expression in birds and animals.

Tells of the sheldrake dancing on tidal sands to make worms come out.

Orange-tip butterfly at rest imitates a flower.

The argus pheasant cannot be explained by natural selection.

When CD comes to London in ten days, he will "immediately call on you and explain why I cannot at once answer your question".

French translation of Orchids is published.

Of toads in rocks and stones, and martins in blocks of ice under rivers.

Cannot give a definite answer regarding liability on the Dock stock without knowing the Act of Parliament under which the East India Company was incorporated.

Would he accept a volume of observations carried out at the Leyton Observatory?

Sends two copies of JH's 'macular conspectus.' Mr. Titterton was very pleased that JH approved of his work.

Argus pheasant.

Sending JL's book Physical Geography (1870).

Writes about JH's health; justifies writing by sending some curves prepared by JH's son Alexander.

Sends diagrams showing three new couplets of sunspots. The sun is entering a new phase of activity. Sends drawings made with a glass pen by his son Alexander.