animal world. No doubt you keep a journal, and an excellent one it will
be, I am sure, when published. All these animal facts will tell capitally
in it. I can quite comprehend the difficulty you mention about not knowing
what is known zoologically in India; but facts observed, as you will
observe them, are none the worse for reiterating. Did you see Mr. Blyth in
Calcutta? He would be a capital man to tell you what is known about Indian
Zoology, at least in the Vertebrata. He is a very clever, odd, wild
fellow, who will never do what he could do, from not sticking to any one
subject. By the way, if you should see him at any time, try not to forget
to remember me very kindly to him; I liked all I saw of him. Your letter
was the very one to charm me, with all its facts for my Species-book, and
truly obliged I am for so kind a remembrance of me. Do not forget to make
enquiries about the origin, even if only traditionally known, of any
varieties of domestic quadrupeds, birds, silkworms, etc. Are there
domestic bees? if so hives ought to be brought home. Of all the facts you
mention, that of the wild [illegible], when breeding with the domestic,
producing offspring somewhat sterile, is the most surprising: surely they
must be different species. Most zoologists would absolutely disbelieve
such a statement, and consider the result as a proof that they were
distinct species. I do not go so far as that, but the case seems highly
improbable. Blyth has studied the Indian Ruminantia. I have been much
struck about what you say of lowland plants ascending mountains, but the
alpine not descending. How I do hope you will get up some mountains in
Borneo; how curious the result will be! By the way, I never heard from you
what affinity the Maldive flora has, which is cruel, as you tempted me by
making me guess. I sometimes groan over your Indian journey, when I think
over all your locked up riches. When shall I see a memoir on Insular
floras, and on the Pacific? What a grand subject Alpine floras of the
world (27/1. Mr. William Botting Hemsley, F.R.S., of the Royal Gardens,
Kew, is now engaged on a monograph of the high-level Alpine plants of the