Fisheries." Edited by W.B. Clarke: London, 1850.)


LETTER 379. TO J.D. HOOKER.
Down, March 17th, 1867.

It is a long time since I have written, but I cannot boast that I have
refrained from charity towards you, but from having lots of work...You ask
what I have been doing. Nothing but blackening proofs with corrections. I
do not believe any man in England naturally writes so vile a style as I
do...

In your paper on "Insular Floras" (page 9) there is what I must think an
error, which I before pointed out to you: viz., you say that the plants
which are wholly distinct from those of nearest continent are often very
common instead of very rare. (379/1. "Insular Floras," pamphlet reprinted
from the "Gardeners' Chronicle," page 9: "As a general rule the species of
the mother continent are proportionally the most abundant, and cover the
greatest surface of the islands. The peculiar species are rarer, the
peculiar genera of continental affinity are rarer still; whilst the plants
having no affinity with those of the mother continent are often very
common." In a letter of March 20th, 1867, Sir Joseph explains that in the
case of the Atlantic islands it is the "peculiar genera of EUROPEAN
AFFINITY that are so rare," while Clethra, Dracaena and the Laurels, which
have no European affinity, are common.) Etty (379/2. Mr. Darwin's
daughter, now Mrs. Litchfield.), who has read your paper with great
interest, was confounded by this sentence. By the way, I have stumbled on
two old notes: one, that twenty-two species of European birds occasionally
arrive as chance wanderers to the Azores; and, secondly, that trunks of
American trees have been known to be washed on the shores of the Canary