Summary

Reports the balloting [for Henry Parker at the Athenaeum?] went off just right.

Summary

Did not know cabbage contained so much nitrogen.

Pinguicula more excited by seeds than Drosera. Asks for information about Pinguicula.

Asks name of weed.

Asks to borrow Utricularia plant.

Summary

Thanks AHF for his book on ants of Switzerland;

recommends reading Thomas Belt’s Naturalist in Nicaragua [1874].

Summary

CD is deeply pleased by AG’s article on him in Nature [10 (1874): 79–81].

Is preparing book on "Drosera and Co." for the printers. Reports observations on digestion in Drosera and Pinguicula.

Summary

Asks what proportion of leaves of Pinguicula have insects adhering to them. Also, whether seeds of any plants ever adhere to the leaves, and in what situations does P. vulgaris grow.

Summary

On proportion of sexes in litters of greyhounds.

Summary

CD has never before seen the Utricularia DN has sent. Hooker had told him about it. Asks that her gardener observe young Utricularia: CD is interested in internal structure of little balls on bladders.

Sends photograph.

Summary

Praises JF’s book [Cosmic philosophy (1874)].

Has long wished to understand H. Spencer but is not convinced by him and some others. CD cannot trust deduction from a starting principle, as his mind is so fixed by the inductive method.

Summary

Probably a discussiion of J. D. Hooker’s feelings after death of his wife, Frances Harriet, on 13 November 1874: the letter is badly damaged.

Summary

Praises WDW’s essay on language [North Am. Rev. 119 (1874): 61–88] which argues against Max Müller’s views and is a good defence against an attack made in Quarterly Review on CD’s short discussion of language.

Summary

Hopes a printing of 2000 copies [of Descent, 2d ed.] will be safe. Regrets price must be 12s. He is sure it is much improved.

Summary

CD responds [to 9667] with description of his own effort to study Aldrovanda and his observations on the structure of Dionaea.

His admiration for FJC’s earlier studies of the Venus’s fly-trap.

He urges FJC to proceed promptly with publication of his memoir on Aldrovanda [Beiträge zur Biologie der Pflanzen 1, Heft 3 (1875): 71–92].

Summary

Comments on review of EH’s Anthropogenie [1874].

Mentions recent work of Huxley and other scientists.

Summary

Thanks for Sarracenia, which is as wonderful as any orchid.

Asks AG to observe Pinguicula.

Has read AG’s semi-theological review [Nation 18 (1874): 348–51] with interest

and has obtained the book [C. Hodge, What is Darwinism? (1874)].

Summary

Advice to GHD on whether to accept invitation to lecture at the Royal Institution.

Murray has sent the Quarterly Review issue. CD has told Murray that he is convinced Mivart is the author and what he thinks of him.

Summary

Thanks JDH for extract on Hedychium pollination; it shows CD’s prior interpretation was incorrect.

Summary

Writes about AHF’s book on Swiss ants.

Recounts his own observations on ants carrying cocoons.

Summary

Feels CD’s and Fritz Müller’s judgments on his "Anwendung" essay [see 8313] are of highest value. Mentions some of FM’s comments.

Looks forward to second English edition of Descent.

Summary

Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.