CD had offered to write a testimonial to assist Scott in obtaining a position in India (see letter from John Scott, 8 June 1864 and n. 13). CD had corresponded extensively with Scott since November 1862 (see letter to J. D. Hooker, [1 April 1864] and nn. 3–5). He had encouraged Scott on numerous occasions to publish the results of his experiments on hybridity and sterility, many of which had been undertaken at CD’s behest (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 11, letter to John Scott, 12 April [1863] and nn. 4 and 5; see also, this volume, letter to J. D. Hooker, 7 April [1864] and n. 4). Scott’s published papers to date were Scott 1862a–d, 1863a–b, and 1864c. Two other papers (Scott 1864a and b) had been read at the Linnean Society of London, but were not yet published. CD’s copies of Scott 1862a, 1863a, and 1864a–c are in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL.