Thanks for Asa Gray’s letter, enclosed.

Knew JDH would not care about omissions but was vexed at his own forgetfulness.

Thanks for WT’s papers, especially ["The present aspect of the doctrine of cellular pathology", Edinburgh Med. J. 8 (1863): 873–97].

Examined the Cytisus and forwarded to Caspary. The C. adami case "gets more and more perplexing", asks for report if Cytisus purpureus-elongatus produces any pods.

Returns proofs of GH’s paper ["On hybridization among plants", Pop. Sci. Rev. 5 (1866): 304–13] with his criticisms. Prefers that GH not state that CD has read the proofs.

Does C. V. Naudin really say that ovules (not seed) of hybrid Luffa and Cucumis are imperfect?

Comments on CWvN’s Die Entstehung und Begriff [der Naturhistorischen Art (1864)].

Discussion of beauty of flowers in new edition of Origin not based on CWvN’s article.

Comments on CWvN’s argument that flower structures are not due to natural selection.

CD believes most strongly in reversion. J. G. Kölreuter’s, K. F. v Gärtner’s, and some of Charles Naudin’s cases leave no doubt in his mind. Forgets whether Herbert gave cases but in conversation he certainly believed in it. Thinks Gärtner is right to say reversion occurs only rarely in plant hybrids which have not been cultivated. [See 5120.]

Variation

Thanks for Geological survey of North Wales [1866]. Longs to return to the mountains with which he was once familiar, but did not understand.

Different forms of flowers of Rhamnus.

Thanks GM for a specimen; it is a sport with which he is already familiar.

Polymorphism in Rhamnus.

Polymorphic flowers of Rhamnus [see Forms of flowers, p. 294].

Cuttings have arrived. Different flower forms [in Rhamnus?].

Has heard from B. J. Sulivan about the fossils at Gallegos, Patagonia. Would be a great haul for palaeontology if Duke of Somerset would encourage Capt. Mayne to collect them [on survey of Magellan Strait].

Tells JDH of a new map of world that he might use in his lecture [on "Insular floras", BAAS, 1866, J. Bot. Br. & Foreign 5 (1867): 23–31; Gard. Chron. (1867): 6, 27, 50, 75].

Impressed by H. Spencer’s last number, but each suggestion would require years of work to be of use to science.