To W. D. Fox   18 May [1860]

My dear Fox

It was very kind of you to take so much trouble about the curious dog; but unless one is on the spot it is hopelessly difficult to understand the amount & origin of difference. The dog, however, must be a most curious creature.—   I am glad to hear of a naturalist taking up so difficult & neglected a subject as spiders.—

If I have time & if in London moderately soon, I will look at the deer-Hybrid— But the fact is, if it appeared ever so intermediate I sh^d. not believe in its hybrid nature, unless after careful dissection of its internal organs; & one might easily be deceived by hoofs being filed &c &c.¹

You will be sorry to hear that our eldest girl, Etty, has now been 3 weeks ill with odd fever, partly remittent partly typhoid;² but I have great hopes we see signs of abatement. It has harassed us much, though not exactly frightened us. At one time, however, the Doctors seemed rather anxious.—   But I think it must end soon.— What a household you must have had with seven with Hooping Cough!

My health has been better of late, which I am inclined to attribute to mineral acids, no sugar, & drinking wine.—³

I do not know whether you ever see various Reviews, but the attacks have been falling thick & heavy on my now case-hardened hide.—   Sedgwick & Clarke opened regular battery on me lately at Cambridge Phil. Soc^y. & dear old Henslow defended me in grand style, saying that my investigations were perfectly legitimate.⁴ I have begun my bigger Book, but make very very slow progress.—

My dear old friend, | Yours affect | C. Darwin