Lists specimens he wants from Mr Janson, emphasising that he always wants male and female.
He extends an invitation for a Sunday in early June.
Has sent the Registrar General’s Report which shows proportion of male to female births in every county.
Consanguineous marriages.
No summary available.
JDH too severe on Duke of Argyll.
Pities JDH on [BAAS] address [see 6099]; Huxley feels JDH will do well and will not pity him.
Thinks Huxley will give an excellent and original lecture on geographical distribution of birds.
Has been working hard on sexual selection and correspondence about it.
Mignonette is sterile with its own pollen but any two distinct plants are fertile together. It is utterly mysterious and not even Pangenesis will explain it.
On Lyell’s book [Principles, 10th ed.].
Wallace’s wonderful cleverness, but he is not cautious enough. CD differs from Wallace on birds’ nests and protection.
A. Murray’s miserable criticism of Wallace [J. Travel & Nat. Hist. 1 (1868): 137–45].
Thanks WWR for information in answer to his queries concerning expression.
Asks when horns first appear among a breed of sheep on the Guinea coast,
and for information about the gorilla and chimpanzee.
Asks about African ideas of beauty.
Speaks of the awkwardness of some telescopic instruments, but urges son John to persevere; comments favorably on daughter Amelia's prospective husband, Thomas Wade, and comments disparagingly about the government's introduction of a metrication bill.
No summary available.
More on musical scales [see GA's 1868-4-3]; GA here proposes the use of hyperbolic logarithms to help establish the scales.
Will obtain information on sheep.
Comments on DP’s paper on man ["Transmutation of man according to the Darwinian theory" (n.d.)].
Inquires about plumage of poultry breeds.
Is interested in CD’s remarks on role of pollen in modifying ovarium. Sends his own observations on numerical relations of stamens and pistils to divisions in the ovarium.
No summary available.
Sex ratios in cattle and sheep.
Will answer CD’s queries from Africa.
Reports extreme amazement of some natives in Gabon upon seeing a white man for the first time.
Not well enough to attend Visitation Day at the Royal Observatory; fears JH will not likely attend any future meetings and should perhaps withdraw from the Board of Visitors.
On structure of Crustacea; size of claws [see Descent 1: 330–1].
Thanks for note about enlarged left arm of Gelasimus.
CD’s book taking on famously. AG’s review in Nation [see 5921] and preface to American edition.
Asks JH's approval for naming George Williams to take charge of Sinai survey fund following death of Pierce Butler. Will ask Secretary of State for War [J. S. Pakington] to place H. S. Palmer in charge and assign draftsmen and photographers to assist. Suggests survey goals. F. W. Holland agreed to join survey party. Estimated cost of survey is £1220.