Invitation to THH and wife to come to Down to meet H. C. Watson, T. V. Wollaston, and the Hookers.
Sends small lens. Its components neither parallel nor concentric; contains water. Suggests new polishing method. Estimates 4-foot lens would cost £7-£8. [JH Note: Tested and returned lens. Noted advantages and deficiencies and suggests improvements. Listed others who built similar lenses.]
Reports observations on Indian pigeons from David Scott at Hansi. EB adds remarks on Indian breeds he has encountered. Suggests Egypt, Turkey, and Syria would be good places from which to obtain specimens. Believes domestic races are all descended from Columba livia; their calls are all similar and they pair indiscriminately.
Guinea-fowl.
No summary available.
Reminds WBDM of his promise of information about the quartz boulders and an iceberg with fragment of rock seen in southern ocean.
Sends other questions [on separate sheet (missing)] which WBDM will think ridiculous, but all bear on plants and animals under domestication.
European men choose partners for different reasons. Savages select more for bodily attraction than facial beauty.
Regarding experiments on the Mohamet's coffin theory. His son Wilfrid has won a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge.
No summary available.
[Reply to GA's [1856-4-6 or earlier] on Mohamet's coffin theory.] Congratulations on GA's son winning a scholarship. JH's health is better, but he cannot walk yet.
No summary available.
His thanks for the extracts sent by SB.
Mustering support at Royal Society Council for John Lindley’s Copley Medal. CD thinks Albany Hancock deserves a Royal Medal.
Sending his completed universal alphabet with comments.
Lens safely returned. Not aware of lenses in 1851 Exhibition or of C. F. Sturm's solid lenses. Notes advantages of plate glass. Offers to make three foot by three foot square lens. Recognizes limitations for use in astronomy; hopes for other applications.
Arrangements for visit of Huxleys to Down on 26 Apr.
CD asks whether New Zealand tribes have an idea of beauty in women which is "like ours"; WBDM answers, "Yes".
Thanks WBDM for his reply [missing] to CD’s previous letter [1603].
Asks for more details on the erratic blocks.
Asks also if there is good evidence that there formerly existed [in New Zealand] some animal with hair, like an otter or beaver.
Finally, do the uncivilised natives have the same ideal of [human] beauty as Europeans?
Discusses the flora of Porto Santo in relation to that of Madeira. While these islands have some 20 endemic species in common, there are 7 or 8 species endemic to Porto Santo alone, and 25 common to Porto Santo and Europe that are not found on Madeira. Believes the great difference in soil and climate is enough to explain this: plants common on one island cannot be made to grow on the other. Believes J. D. Hooker has underestimated the number of species endemic to Madeira. There are some remarkable endemic species of common plants in the Dezertas.
The eel is the only freshwater fish on Porto Santo and Madeira.
Is considering becoming a candidate for the position of Registrar at London University and would welcome support from JH.
Thanks HTS for Entomologist’s Weekly Intelligencer [no. 2, 12 Apr 1856]. Agrees with his remarks [in "Why did Mr Westwood get the Royal Medal?"], but explains that a change in rules for awarding the Royal Medal has been made. Earlier it had to be given for publications in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, which explains small number of entomologist recipients.