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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.
Writes regarding CD’s query on yellow-billed cuckoo and the laying of eggs in other birds’ nests.
States his belief that there is a tendency to note varieties in the larger genera rather than in the very small ones.
Notes views of Hooker and George Bentham on monotypic forms.
Has tabulated several floras and finds that large genera show preponderance in numbers of varieties. Now sees his results are quite worthless.
C. C. Babington agrees with JDH that botanists tend to note varieties more in large genera than in very small ones.
C. P. Smyth’s observations on geology and natural history of Tenerife are not precise enough to warrant publication in Philosophical Transactions. Suggests CPS draw up an abstract, for the Proceedings, of specific points actually observed, rather than conclusions arrived at on insufficient grounds.
Wrote some weeks ago about Burmese fowl-skins; is willing to send them, carriage paid.
Four queries regarding the habits of bees and ants with answers by FS interlined between each query.
Heartened that tabulations of small and large genera done in different ways yield good results. JDH has done some tabulations but has not followed CD’s method of getting equal numbers of small and large genera.
In great want of two books, which he had borrowed previously: Boreau Flora du Centre de la France and A. E. Fürnrohr, Naturhistorische Topographie von Regensburg, Bd 2 Flora Ratisbonensis.
Asks whether correspondent can assist in determining value of slate slabs with relief figures executed for Josiah Wedgwood [I].
JDH’s "objection" that small local genera do not vary and mundane ones do, is exactly CD’s point. Local floras useful to test idea that varieties are incipient species. Same genus in different countries cannot be lumped.
Summary of JDH’s objections to CD’s survey of floras and conclusion that large genera vary more than small.
Thanks JDH for his objections; will respond by sending fair copy of MS when written.
Continued objections to methods and conclusions of CD’s survey.
Recommends Leonard Horner’s "Account of some recent researches near Cairo" for publication in Philosophical Transactions [R. Soc. Lond. 148 (1858): 53–9]. Believes all the details and sections should be published in full because of importance of investigations leading to the conclusion that man has existed in Egypt for over 13000 years.
Discusses the ranges of species in large and small genera; difficulties involved in limiting the discussion to Britain.
Extracts from MS of vol. 4 of HCW’s Cybele Britannica [1847–59] showing the diversity of views on species among botanists.
Returns the Greenland catalogue, which he has kept too long.
Expresses his strong opinion that Huxley’s paper ["Agamic reproduction and morphology of Aphis", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 22 (1858): 193–220, 221–36] should be published.
Comments and criticisms on JL’s paper [possibly: "On the development of Chloëon dimidiatum", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 24 (1863): 61–78].