Summary

Thanks him for his excellent observations [on Epipactis?]; would like WED to watch for some large insect visiting the plant.

Summary

Thanks SHS for papers he has sent.

Summary

Thanks CD for the English edition of his brother’s book [Fritz Müller, Facts and arguments for Darwin (1869)]

and for CD’s memoir on orchids ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Summary

Asks AGM to observe fertilisation of Epipactis palustris. Has found that E. latifolia is fertilised by wasps.

Making revisions for French edition of Orchids.

Summary

Ashamed that members of the Entomological Society have almost no information on sex ratio of bred insects in response to CD’s query of months ago. One exception, William Buckler, promises results. [See Descent 1: 313.]

Summary

Recommends publication of Mrs Barber’s paper on a rare case of fertilisation of a plant by one kind of insect alone, with access of others prevented by a mechanical obstacle [Mary Elizabeth Barber, "On the fertilisation and dissemination of Duvernoia adhatodoides", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 11 (1869): 469–72].

Summary

Describes the floral structure and fertilisation of some melastomes;

discusses the direct agency of insects in modifying the structure of flowers.

Summary

Describes experiments to test the fertility of Abutilon, which appears self-sterile,

and briefly mentions dichogamy in Eschscholzia.

Summary

Insectivorous plants; Drosophyllum lusitanicum.

Descriptions of the local sheep.

Summary

On English edition of Für Darwin; CD’s gratitude and admiration.

Summary

RS’s facts are remarkable. A year or two ago CD would not have believed ants could produce an inherited effect, but he has "lately come to believe rather more in inherited mutations". However, CD is not satisfied that the sacs are inherited and urges RS to produce any other evidence he might have.

Summary

South Down sheep: variability in colouring and patterning of lambs compared with constancy of adult coat.

Summary

Weir’s paper on relation of protection to colour of caterpillars [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1869): 21–6; (1870): 337–9] confirms ARW’s hypothesis.

Summary

Sends paper on mechanisms of cross-fertilisation in flowers ["Note on Parnassia palustris", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 11 (1871): 24–31].

Studying how fertilisation takes place without the aid of insects in winter varieties.

Summary

He has gone through the whole embryology of the Crustacea and has arrived at a pretty well-established genealogy of the whole class; has even tried to write a history of the whole tribe. Finds he cannot adopt the old separation of Orders in the Class; the limits between them are indistinct.

Would like to study embryology of Limulus. Asks CD’s help in obtaining a female specimen.

Outlines his proposal to establish a marine zoological station.

Summary

Progressing with translation of new footnotes for Orchids. Asks for help with a few words.

Summary

"My health got so bad I could do nothing at Down".

Gives information about migration of male and female birds.

Summary

Comments on Hermann Crüger’s paper, sent by CD, on fertilisation of orchids [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 127–35].

Observations on dichogamy in grasses (wheat, rye, barley).

Has not yet read CD’s reply to his article on Pangenesis [Collected papers 2: 158–60].

Summary

Bees visiting Epipactis.

Summary

On the colours of sexes of Australian bees [see Descent 1: 366].