Summary

CD cannot swallow continental extensions. Has written to Lyell giving a lengthy criticism of the concept [see 1910] and has asked Lyell to forward the letter to JDH.

Perhaps Aristolochia and Viscum are protandrous.

Summary

Returns Asa Gray’s letter. Disappointed with Gray. Comments on America. British–American relations.

Summary

H. W. Bates’s excellent article against glacial period [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 5 (1860): 352–3] leaves CD "dumbfounded".

H. C. Watson’s hostility.

Summary

Has finished vol. 1 [of Naturalist on the river Amazons]. CD praises book as "best ever published in England".

The review in the Athenæum was cold, as always, and insolent.

Summary

Discussion of Mrs Agassiz’s letter [to Mary Lyell, forwarded to CD] regarding S. American glacial action,

with comments on Bunbury’s letter on temperate plants.

Refers to opinions of Agassiz, David Forbes, Hooker, and CD on glacial period and glaciers.

Wishes he had published a long chapter on glacial period [Natural selection, pp. 535–66] written ten years ago.

Tells of death of his sister, Catherine, and other family matters.

Summary

Thanks for plants

and case of sleeping Crotalaria.

"Bloom" for the present has "gone to the dogs".

Summary

It is impossible to trace the direct connections between stimuli and responses in plant movements. Disagrees with much of Julius von Wiesner [Die Bewegungsvermögen der Pflanzen (1881)]. Disagrees with CD on induced movements and circumnutation.

Summary

Movement of plants to shake off water: FM’s invaluable observations.

Inquires about "bloom" on leaves.

Fertilisation of Melastomataceae, roles of the two sets of anthers.

Summary

Sends extracts, from his forthcoming book [The naturalist in Nicaragua (1874)], about the secretion by plants of honey to attract the protection of ants. Invites CD’s comments.

Summary

Has read the notes on Rond [Round] Island which he owes to JDH. What an enigma its flora and fauna present, especially the problem of monocotyledons! Asks JDH’s opinion.

A new book on St Helena confirms CD’s observations.

Summary

Continued debate on formation of species as a result of retreat from glaciers.

JDH suggests internal powers of species modification, which he knows CD abhors.

Summary

Wants plants with two sets of anthers of different colours. Fritz Müller letter [13041a] has made him wish to renew experiments and observations carried out 20 years ago.

Summary

Would like to visit on the weekend of 7–8 December.

Differences in floras of St Helena and Ascension.

Summary

If CD is not convinced by his notes on sterility, ARW has little doubt that he is wrong. In fact he was only half-convinced by his own arguments.

Modifies his first proposition [a species varies occasionally in two directions, but owing to free inter-crossing the variations never increase] and further discusses the subject.

Encloses Berthold Seemann’s notes on flora of the Hawaiian Islands. Presence of European alpine species in Hawaiian volcanoes is a "hard nut" for geographical distribution [but see ARW’s Island life (1880), p. 323].

Summary

Responds to GdeS’s comments on Descent [see 8246]. Cannot give up belief in close relationship of man to higher Simiae.

Summary

Has failed with his experiments on aerial roots.

Summary

On geographical dispersal of plants. Would be interested in CJFB’s views on representative species and on his hypothesis of a mundane cold period, which CD cannot prove geologically, but thinks, if it explains many facts of geographical distribution, may be admitted as probable. Hooker and Alphonse de Candolle do not agree with him.

Summary

Sends essay by Karl Bettelheim.

Describes preparations for scientific journey.

Summary

Kew affairs.

H. J. Carter’s observations are wonderful but want verification.

Skeptical of H. H. Travers’ observations.

Summary

Responds to CD’s criticism of his use of word "Kingdom" in discussing geographical distribution of Crustacea.