LETTER 380. TO J.D. HOOKER.
Down, March 21st [1867].

Many thanks for your pleasant and very amusing letter. You have been
treated shamefully by Etty and me, but now that I know the facts, the
sentence seems to me quite clear. Nevertheless, as we have both blundered,
it would be well to modify the sentence something as follows: "whilst, on
the other hand, the plants which are related to those of distant
continents, but have no affinity with those of the mother continent, are
often very common." I forget whether you explain this circumstance, but it
seems to me very mysterious (380/1. Sir Joseph Hooker wrote (March 23rd,
1867): "I see you 'smell a rat' in the matter of insular plants that are
related to those of [a] distant continent being common. Yes, my beloved
friend, let me make a clean breast of it. I only found it out after the
lecture was in print!...I have been waiting ever since to 'think it out,'
and write to you about it, coherently. I thought it best to squeeze it in,
anyhow or anywhere, rather than leave so curious a fact unnoticed.")...Do
always remember that nothing in the world gives us so much pleasure as
seeing you here whenever you can come. I chuckle over what you say of And.
Murray, but I must grapple with his book some day.


LETTER 381. TO C. LYELL.
Down, October 31st [1867].

Mr. [J.P. Mansel] Weale sent to me from Natal a small packet of dry locust
dung, under 1/2 oz., with the statement that it is believed that they
introduce new plants into a district. (381/1. See Volume I., Letter 221.)
This statement, however, must be very doubtful. From this packet seven
plants have germinated, belonging to at least two kinds of grasses. There