ious to learn how the Drosophyllum
would act, so that the Director of the Royal Gardens at Kew wrote some
years ago to Portugal to obtain specimens for me, but quite failed.
So you see what a favour you have conferred on me. With Drosera it is
nothing less than marvellous how minute a fraction of a grain of any
nitrogenised matter the plant can detect; and how differently it behaves
when matter, not containing nitrogen, of the same consistence, whether
fluid or solid, is applied to the glands. It is also exquisitely
sensitive to a weight of even the 1/70000 of a grain. From what I can
see of the glands on Drosophyllum I suspect that I shall find only
the commencement, or nascent state of the wonderful capacities of the
Drosera, and this will be eminently interesting to me. My MS. on this
subject has been nearly ready for publication during some years, but
when I shall have strength and time to publish I know not.

And now to turn to other points in your letter. I am quite ignorant of
ferns, and cannot name your specimen. The variability of ferns passes
all bounds. With respect to your Laugher Pigeons, if the same with
the two sub-breeds which I kept, I feel sure from the structure of
the skeleton, etc., that it is a descendant of C. livia. In regard
to beauty, I do not feel the difficulty which you and some others
experience. In the last edition of my "Origin" I have discussed the
question, but necessarily very briefly. (702/3. Fourth Edition, page
238.) A new and I hope amended edition of the "Origin" is now passing
through the press, and will be published in a month or two, and it will
give me great pleasure to send you a copy. Is there any place in London
where parcels are received for you, or shall I send it by post? With
reference to dogs' tails, no doubt you are aware that a rudimentary
stump is regularly inherited by certain breeds of sheep-dogs, and by
Manx cats. You speak of a change in the position of the axis of the
earth: this is a subject quite beyond me, but I believe the astronomers
reject the idea. Nevertheless, I have long suspected that some
periodical astronomical or cosmical cause must be the agent of the
incessant oscillations of level in the earth's crust. About a month
ago I suggested this to a man well capable of judging, but he could not
conceive any such agency; he promised, however, to keep it in mind. I
wish I had time and strength to write to you more fully. I had intended
to send this lette