Summary

Has finished the "cousin paper" and will offer it to W. Farr for the Statistical Society.

Describes other work in progress.

Has CD heard of A. M. Mayer’s curious work on audition of insects [Am. J. Sci. 3d ser. 8 (1874): 89–103?]

Summary

Kind of JP to send notes on horses, but will not write on subject again.

Erasmus Darwin has not left his house for three years.

Summary

Congratulates W. E. Darwin, who is about to be married,

and CD for the LL.D. conferred upon him by Cambridge.

Summary

Discusses the purchase of some land;

plans to visit Southampton.

Summary

Will try to get certain insectivorous plants for CD, especially Utricularia. Is glad to hear he has taken up Drosera.

Summary

Suggests revisions in proofs of Erasmus Darwin.

[Letter wrongly dated Nov by LD.]

Summary

Heavily correcting sheets for Coral reefs, 2d ed. [1874]. Offers to pay extra printer’s charges.

Summary

Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.

Summary

Thanks her for her excellent criticisms and corrections [for 2d ed. of Coral reefs?].

Summary

CD, Sir John Lubbock, Ellen Frances Lubbock, and S. E. Wedgwood, petition the Board to grant permission for the school hall to be used as a reading room in the evening during winter.

Summary

Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.

Summary

Asks for living plant of Utricularia and information on Pinguicula lusitanica. Gives notes on habitats.

Summary

An awful row at the Linnean Society. William Carruthers and Co. packed a meeting to throw out a decision of the Council. He was beaten by one vote (more than two-thirds majority needed).

Spent two hours with Lyell talking about Thomas Belt’s book [The naturalist in Nicaragua (1874)]: "the tropical old Glaciers beat the seance I do think".

Lyell agrees that the glacial epoch is the great geological crux of the day. Lowering of the ocean level must also be investigated.

Curious about A. C. Ramsay’s paper coming at Royal Society on 29th ["On the comparative value of certain geological ages", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 22 (1874): 145–8].

Huxley’s new book [? Critiques and addresses (1873)].

Summary

At work on new editions of his books against CD’s theory [La teoria dell’uomo-scimmia (1864); La théorie darwinienne (1874)]. Had hoped to receive CD’s comments, as earlier promised; they would still be useful.

Summary

Gives an example of the power of reasoning shown by dogs.

Summary

Asks for investment advice.

Summary

Finds statistical evidence that cousin marriages are at least three times as frequent in "our rank" as in the lower.

Summary

Discusses illustrations for 2d edition of Descent.

"My nephew [Henry Parker] got into the Athenaeum with splendid success."

Summary

Kind to send seeds of Aquilegia Brodii. Gives news on her sons. Glad of recent rain to help the hay.

Summary

Describe the Pinguicula species found at Mürren. Have found seeds on some. Their large roots seem to indicate that they do not get much animal food.