Summary

Thanks JDH for his "quite admirable" address [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874) pt 2: 102–16]. Suggests revisions.

CD thinks he is "now on right track about Utricularia" after wasting several weeks "in fruitless trials and observations".

Mrs Barber’s paper is very curious and ought to be published.

Summary

Sends a draft of his letter to the editor of the Quarterly Review [137 (1874): 587–9], answering Mivart’s charges. Encloses draft of CD’s letter to John Murray, urging publication of GHD’s defence, with George’s amendments.

Summary

Etty [Henrietta Litchfield] is helping with Coral reefs [2d ed.]; will JDH lend her his copy?

Summary

Proof-correcting [of 2d ed. of Coral reefs?].

Summary

Looks forward to a visit from JVC and family in August.

Sheets of vol. 1 of Descent [2d ed.] are going to printer;

new edition of Coral reefs is half printed.

Summary

Lady Dorothy Nevill has no Dionaea.

CD anxious to talk with JDH about Utricularia.

Summary

K. G. Semper’s article ["On the relationship of the Vertebrata and Annelida", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 15 (1875): 94–5] is ill-natured. Misinterprets facts already discovered by F. M. Balfour.

Has been working on Amphioxus. Puts his theory of vertebrate skulls on firm footing at last.

Summary

Charles Martins has given the first Darwinian lectures on zoology at Montpellier.

Joseph Duval-Jouve is also a Darwinian. The latter has lost his position as Inspector of the Academy because of his liberal views.

Wallace suggests that a trap-door spider with an exposed nest preys on nocturnal insects.

Summary

Mainly family news.

Eager to read GHD’s political economy MS "though Heaven knows whether I shall understand it".

Summary

Has gone over Huxley’s letter, thinks it a model. All must now await developments. If Mivart does not apologise, JDH will write to him.

Summary

Accepts CD’s suggestion of new edition of Descent, and asks that Murray supply the stereotype plates and woodcuts for $50 [dollars or pounds!?], as soon as possible; supply of copies of Descent is exhausted.

Will publish CD’s proposed book [Insectivorous plants (1875)] on same terms as other works.

Summary

The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".

The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.

Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.

Summary

Asks CD to allow his name to be put on a committee to establish a Scientific Societies Club for the fellows of the six societies that will have rooms in Burlington House.

Summary

Passes on his father’s answer to CD’s query about Hawaiian infanticide.

Summary

Is sorry to hear the news about the cousin question – a real misfortune.

Congratulates GHD on being nearly finished with work on Descent.

Summary

Thanks JF for copy of Cosmic philosophy [1874].

Summary

Thanks for proofs [of Descent, 2d English ed.].

Publisher would like better photographs for Expression [2d German ed.].

Summary

His view of Huxley’s cutting Mivart without explanation. States his own intentions. Mivart’s apology in October Quarterly Review is abominable.

Has heard of a Drosophyllum in Edinburgh. Is it too late?

Summary

THH’s letter to Mivart is "tremendous". CD’s feelings and intentions about the matter.

If THH has made out homology of the skull, it is grandest discovery in years.