Summary

The Naples Zoological Station and its library are growing fast. His life is a constant battle with the municipality, but has managed to make a little progress on vertebrate ancestry and morphology. His views get further away from what is generally accepted.

Summary

AD exaggerates what CD has done for science.

On the Zoological Yearbook, CD thinks it would be an excellent plan to give an account of zoological publications from all countries in a single work.

Summary

Rejoices at success [of Naples Zoological Station]. Will send complete set of his books to the library.

If AD is interested, he will send a copy of Expression when it comes out.

Invites AD to visit Down.

Summary

Thanks CD for Variation.

From his work on insect embryology he sees a great parallelism between insect and vertebrate embryology.

The zoological station is slowly advancing.

Summary

AD is aware of revolutionary character of his pamphlet [Ursprung der Wirbelthiere]. Authorities will not agree with him. Carl Gegenbaur and Ernst Haeckel are opposed. Younger biologists are disposed to accept his views. All he can expect is to put a stop to "the Amphioxus–Ascidian affair, and to open a road for speculation and for investigation on the side of the Annelid-homology".

Summary

Agrees to have his name on the list of naturalists to whom annual report [on zoological station] should be sent.

His health has been very bad for last six weeks.

Summary

Leaves decision as to use of his gift to AD.

Summary

AD is sorry CD thinks publication of Descent a mistake. The excitement shows it was necessary for someone to speak plainly.

His great difficulties (Italian indolence, dishonesty, hatred) in establishing zoological station. Can at last start construction.

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

Belated birthday greetings

and reminiscences of CD’s help to the Station, which continues to prosper. A recent innovation is the establishment of the Zoologische Jahresbericht edited by J. V. Carus.

Summary

Pleased by CD’s letter; his object was to apply CD’s principles to the reform of zoology. When this is done, it is wonderful to see how improved one’s understanding of the Crustacea (Arthropoda) becomes. Cites examples.

Summary

Will call on CD next year, when he will have worked out the embryology of Amphioxus; he believes it is not primitive but a degenerate form of fish. He believes the true ancestors of vertebrates are annelids.

Summary

Thanks AD and the naturalists at the Station for their birthday congratulations.

CD has been awarded the Bressa prize of the Accademia delle Scienze in Turin, and it occurs to him that if the Station wanted some apparatus costing about £100, he would like to pay for it.

Summary

Birthday congratulations from the Naples Zoological Station. A new physiological department will be constructed. Describes work in progress at the Station.

Sends his paper on teleosteans.

Heard R. Owen read a paper at York [meeting of BAAS]. Owen had views similar to AD’s, but seemed not to be aware of work of others.

Summary

Thanks CD for his support and for his cautionary advice.

Will send his work on embryology of arthropods as soon as it is finished [Bau und Entwicklung der Arthropoden (1870)].

Summary

Has written to J. Murray to have account of the Zoological Station inserted in the Murray guidebook.

The circular about the Station has been printed; some have already signed.

Received R. Kossman’s paper on Anelasma ["Untersuchungen über die durch Parasitismus hervorgerufenen Umbildungen in der Familie der Pedunculata", Verh. Phys.-med. Ges. Würz. N. F. 5 (1874): 129–57]. The case is the most interesting ever recorded of gradation, i.e., from an animal with a stomach to one with roots like a plant.

Delighted he will examine the complemental males of Scalpellum.

Summary

Is amazed at Expression. Like CD’s former works, it contains the material and principles of a new science.

The Zoological Station is making good progress – now has a fine building. Hopes for a stable income from contributions of various governments.

Summary

His gratitude for CD’s gift. An account of his difficulties with the Zoological Station and his health.

F. M. Balfour has told him that CD would like to see the question of complemental males in cirripedes studied again. AD would like to enter the field and to study the whole morphological development of cirripedes.

Describes the interest in embryological work in Russia and Germany.

Summary

Thanks CD for his offer. Suggests it be used to start a fund to pay travel expenses of English naturalists who want to come to the Station.

Summary

Thanks to CD’s help Zoological Station has passed a crisis and is now flourishing.

Is writing pamphlet on "the origin of vertebrates and the principle of succession of functions" [see 9991 and 10003]. It is likely CD will not be pleased with it, but he thinks he must now, after seven years, bring it out. Seeks to open the way for a new series of theoretical questions.