i860.] AGASSIZ, WAGNER. I2 ^ 



you publish, it will produce a great effect on all trimmers, and 

 on many others. By the way I forgot to mention Daubeny's 

 pamphlet,* very liberal and candid, but scientifically weak. 

 I believe Hooker is going nowhere this summer ; he is ex- 

 cessively busy ... He has written me many, most nice 

 letters. I shall be very curious to hear on your return some 

 account of your Geological doings. Talking of Geology, you 

 used to be interested about the " pipes " in the chalk. About 

 three years ago a perfectly circular hole suddenly appeared 

 in a flat grass field to everyone's astonishment, and was filled 

 up with many waggon loads of earth ; and now two or three 

 days ago, again it has circularly subsided about two feet 

 more. How clearly this shows what is still slowly going on. 

 This morning I recommenced work, and am at dogs ; when 

 I have written my short discussion on them, I will have it 

 copied, and if you like, you can then see how the argument 

 stands, about their multiple origin. As you seemed to think 

 this important, it might be worth your reading ; though I do 

 not feel sure that you will come to the same probable conclu- 

 sion that I have done. By the way, the Bishop makes a 

 very telling case against me, by accumulating several instances 

 where I speak very doubtfully ; but this is very unfair, as in 

 such cases as this of the dog, the evidence is and must be 

 very doubtful. . . . 



C. Darwin to Asa Gray. 



Down, August II [1860]. 



MY DEAR GRAY, On my return home from Sussex about 

 a week ago, I found several articles sent by you. The first 

 article, from the 'Atlantic Monthly,' I am very glad to 

 possess. By the way, the editor of the Athenceum \ has 

 inserted your answer to Agassiz, Bowen, and Co., and when 



* ' Remarks on the final causes of the sexuality of plants with particu- 

 lar reference to Mr. Darwin's work on the " Origin of Species." ' Brit 

 Assoc. Report, 1860. 



f Aug. 4, 1860. 



