Thanks WED for his letter of 20 December 1875. Is surprised and delighted by the support from WED and CD for the Index.
Showing 1–20 of 468 items
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.
Thanks WED for his letter of 20 December 1875. Is surprised and delighted by the support from WED and CD for the Index.
On his new paper for Royal Society on a point of leaf arrangement. Asks CD to communicate it and "gives some details of its contents", e.g., recorded observations of changing leaf-order on individual specimens.
Comments on a paper by George Henslow ["Helianthus tuberosus", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 26 (1876): 647].
Sends set of illustrations for Expression marked to show those that could be improved for a future edition.
Asks CD to renew his former offer to propose him for the Royal Society, as Michael Foster, now on the Council, is unable to do so.
Michael Foster approves of names FMB suggested CD apply to [in proposing FMB to the Royal Society] and adds George Allman, Foster, W. H. Flower, and P. M. Duncan, the only biologists on the Council.
Lists his chief publications and suggests names of biologists in the Royal Society whom CD might ask to sign his nomination certificate.
Sends J. H. Baxter, Statistics, medical and anthropological [2 vols. (1875)]; asks CD’s opinion on correlation of stature with certain types of diseases.
Encloses letter printed in the Toronto Globe about the discovery on Prince Edward Island of a skeleton of a tailed man.
Thanks for copy of Cross and self-fertilisation.
Reports instances of cross-fertilisation in maize,
and succession of forms of flowers on Isle of Wight.
Asks CD’s suggestions for his second edition of Julius von Sachs’s Text-book of botany.
Sends specimens of Boronia.
Discusses the section on diclinous trees and herbs in CD’s new book [Cross and self-fertilisation, pp. 411–13]. CD’s theory that diclinism preceded hermaphroditism seems confirmed.
Believes Aegiphila to be exclusively American.
Contrasts fertilisation of Australian Acacia with Brazilian Mimosa.
Reports on the tendency of the normally fruitless Convolvulus arvensis, to form fruit when roots are cut and plant is in danger of dying.
Is engaged in translating Hermann Müller’s Befruchtung der Blumen [1873].
Has observed Sphinx moths on Petunia.
Discusses geographic distribution of tuberculosis and possible explanations for disease-free areas and populations.
Does not think a local population with some distinct physiological character can properly be designated as a race. Thinks local conditions, not natural selection, responsible for such characters. Ernst Haeckel agrees. Asks CD’s opinion.
Encloses article on local immunity to tuberculosis. Has he interpreted CD’s views correctly? Believes the immunity notable in areas like Iceland or mountain areas is due to local conditions, not natural selection. Describes his sanatorium in mountains of Silesia and medical criticism of his work.
Observations on pollinia of Orchis maculata
and on Primula elatior. [On latter, see Forms of flowers, p. 34.]
His research on Orchis maculata.
Discusses effect of disuse of anthers in Salvia officinalis.
Pleased CD can use his observations on Primula elatior.
Informs CD about Apocynum androsaemifolium, an insectivorous plant not mentioned in CD’s book. Offers to send specimen.
Thanks CD for letter complimenting her book. Responds to his comments on botany and geology in book.
Thanks for Cross and self-fertilisation.
Discusses geographical implications of inbreeding. Can the length of time an insular flora has been isolated be estimated by its weakness due to inbreeding?