Summary

Expresses his gratitude to JDH and Huxley in the Mivart affair. Thinks he should write directly to Mivart, if Mivart does not retract.

Would be glad to have another Drosophyllum.

Summary

Thanks for leaves. His notes on them will be of greatest service.

He cannot distinguish some Eucalypti from Acacia. Sends specimens, with numbers, for JDH to name.

Acacia farnesiana branches arrived withered, but saw enough to make him wish to examine the plant.

Has thought of some troublesome experiments for Drosophyllum.

Encloses remarks [missing] by Searles Wood, with which CD disagrees, about a new and strongly marked variety transmitting its characters.

The competition of better adapted forms seems to CD a sufficient explanation [for extinction].

Summary

Asks whether his observations on absorptive powers of glandular hairs of plants are new facts.

Asks for a Drosophyllum.

Comments on Francis Galton’s article in Fraser’s Magazine,

Greg’s Enigmas,

and Alphonse de Candolle’s Histoire des sciences.

Summary

Drosophyllum arrived; none of his observations turned out as he expected, but nevertheless he understands its habits better than he did. The secreting hairs that he observed may be explained as a mere chemical reaction.

Comments on various articles he has read.

Asks for Thiselton-Dyer’s notes.

Summary

Asks name of an Abutilon from Fritz Müller.

Questions about Drosophyllum for experiments;

the meaning of "Sirdar".

Wonderful success of Descent. Astonished by liberality of public. No abuse yet.

Marvels at JDH’s plans for a trip to Morocco. Asks him to look for alpine insects.

Summary

Envies JDH’s Russian trip.

Thanks for information on Aucuba. Urges him to experiment – case "has highest physiological importance, not to mention Pangenesis".

Has heard that Huxley has been attacking views of Sir W. Thomson.

Has received 12 plants of Drosophyllum lusitanicum from Oporto.

Summary

Extremely glad to hear of the aggregation in Nepenthes glands. Advises on experimenting with cubes of albumen – gives sizes, also suggests cubes of roast meat. Thanks for analyses of secretion of Nepenthes.

Asks for cutting of Acacia farnesiana.

Longs to examine a species of Desmodium with three leaflets. Has asked Frank [Darwin] to look for species of Desmodium with tendrils.

Summary

Faraday memorial is an exception.

George [Darwin] has convinced CD that North British Review article is by P. G. Tait [see 6841].

Surprised that leaves of Drosophyllum are always rolled backwards at their tips, but did not know it was unique character.

Summary

An article in North British Review by mathematician against Hooker and Huxley and for William Thomson [P. G. Tait, "Geological time", North Br. Rev. 50 (1869): 406–39]. Feels a conviction that world will be found older than reviewer makes it.

Article on "Design" [by J. B. Mozley] in Quarterly Review [127 (1869): 134–76].

Has JDH studied Drosophyllum?

Summary

Explains why he wants Drosophyllum.

Hopes JDH will be elected President of Royal Society.

Agrees with JDH on Greg’s Enigmas.

Would like Greg to visit Down if JDH comes as CD’s "protector".

Summary

Profuse thanks for plants.

Specifies which euphorbs he wants. Euphorbs’ alternate rows of ammonium carbonate reactive/non-reactive cells are worth more study.

Summary

Is not inclined to restrain himself from expressing his opinion of Mivart. Huxley’s article in Academy.

Summary

Neptunia is evidently a hopeless case.

Good news that fluid of Nepenthes is acid.

No discovery ever gave him more pleasure than proving a true act of digestion in Drosera.

Has become profoundly interested in Desmodium. Asks whether Frank [Darwin] can look over the whole dried collection of the genus.

Has JDH any seed of Lathyrus nissolia?

Summary

JDH would be rash not to follow advice of his friends. [CD’s] wife and George oppose his writing to Mivart.

Summary

Replies to JDH on Hallett; doubts that already improved varieties do not vary in other respects.

The North British Review article [see 6841] is worth reading "scientifically"; it made CD feel small.

Awaits JDH’s decision on affinities of Drosophyllum and Drosera.

Is curious to see proportion of males to females in recent census in India.

Summary

Visiting his son Horace.

Studying action of carbonate of ammonia. Finds similar looking Euphorbia root cells react differently.

Intrigued by Dischidia rafflesiana, whose pitchers manufacture manure-water that nourishes adventitious roots. Does JDH know histologist for detailed study?

Julius von Wiesner’s criticism of Movement in plants "vivisects" CD in "a most courteous but awful manner" [Das Bewegungsvermögen der Pflanzen (1881)].

Summary

Is provoked by trouble he is having writing Insectivorous plants.

Curious case of an unknown form of Glaucium in earth covered with slag for 1400 years.

Summary

Sends Hibiscus

and enclosure [Queries about expression?] on chance of "any point being observed" in Morocco.

Murray informs him edition of Descent will probably be 6500 copies.

Summary

It is splendid how Nepenthes is behaving. Drosera and Dionaea are insignificant by comparison.

Takes rather a malicious pleasure in JDH’s failure with Cephalotus as a match to his with Utricularia.

Summary

Had thrown Geographical Society’s Proceedings in waste-basket, but as Strachey shows such admirable powers of discrimination he will fish it out and read the whole article.

Comments on 3d ed. of Sachs’s work [Lehrbuch der Botanik (1873)]. Wishes he were more controversial.

Has become wonderfully interested in Drosera and Dionaea.

9000 copies of Expression have been printed and most are sold.