To C. C. Babington   4 March [1858]¹

Dear Babington

I am very much obliged for your careful answer.— Your opinion agrees with Hooker’s & Bentham’s (though I do not know whether question was put fairly to him)² & H. C. Watson’s.³ I have also written to Asa Gray.⁴ My impression would have been, from animals, that monotypic forms were more interesting & had therefore been more attended to; Bunbury took this view;⁵ but I bow to you several gentlemen who have had such large experience.—

You may like to hear what the facts of the case are: I have had tabulated several Floras (yours amongst the rest)⁶ of all parts of world & 6 vols. of DeCandolles Prodromus & I have divided all the species into two great sub-equal groups, & marked how many varieties or rather how many species presenting vars. have been recorded in each genus; & I find almost universally the large genera show a marked preponderance in the number of varieties. Until Hooker’s suggestion I inferred from this that the species in the larger genera did really vary most; but now I see that my results are most seriously vitiated, perhaps rendered quite worthless.— You all, however, speak doubtfully & Hooker had never thought of this, till I told him of my results, which has caused me a deal of trouble in vain.—

With my sincere thanks, pray believe me | Dear Babington | Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin