low western territory has been botanised; but it has
occurred to me, looking at such maps as I have, that the eastern area
must be larger than the western, which would account to a certain small
extent for preponderance on eastern side of the representative species.
Is there any truth in this suspicion? Your memoir sets me marvelling and
reflecting. I confess I am not able quite to understand your Geology at
pages 447, 448; but you would probably not care to hear my difficulties,
and therefore I will not trouble you with them.

I was so grieved to get a letter from Dana at Florence, giving me a very
poor (though improved) account of his health.

LETTER 350. TO T.H. HUXLEY. 15, Marine Parade, Eastbourne, November 1st
[1860].

Your note has been wonderfully interesting. Your term, "pithecoid man,"
is a whole paper and theory in itself. How I hope the skull of the new
Macrauchenia has come. It is grand. I return Hooker's letter, with very
many thanks. The glacial action on Lebanon is particularly interesting,
considering its position between Europe and Himalaya. I get more and
more convinced that my doctrine of mundane Glacial period is correct
(350/1. In the 1st edition of the "Origin," page 373, Darwin argues in
favour of a Glacial period practically simultaneous over the globe. In
the 5th edition, 1869, page 451, he adopted Mr. Croll's views on the
alternation of cold periods in the northern and southern hemispheres. An
interesting modification of the mundane Glacial period theory is given
in Belt's "The Naturalist in Nicaragua," 1874, page 265. Mr. Belt's
views are discussed in Wallace's "Geogr. Distribution," 1876, Volume I.,
page 151.), and that it is the most important of all late phenomena
with respect to distribution of plants and animals. I hope your Review
(350/2. The history of the foundation of the "Natural History Review"
is given in Huxley's "Life and Letters," Volume I., page 209. See Letter
107.) progresses favourably. I am exhausted and not well, so write
briefly; for we have had nine days of as much misery as man can endure.
My poor daughter has suffered pitiably, and night and day required three
persons to support her. The crisis of extreme danger is over, and she
is rallying surprisingly, but the doctors are yet doubtful of ultimate
issue. But the suffering was so pitiable I almost got to wish to see her
die. She is easy now. When she will be fit to travel home I know not.
I most sincerely hope tha