Summary

Thanks CD for his letter referring to JWS’s bibliographical paper ["Darwinian bibliography", Z. Ethnol. 3 (1871): 56–67]. Will be glad to inform CD of any additions to the list and would be grateful for information on future publications.

Summary

Paris is in the hands of "brigands and socialists", but one grows accustomed to sporadic bombardment,

and VOK is peacefully studying invertebrate palaeontology collections.

Reports on Paul Gervais’ successful cross between a Triton and an axolotl.

Summary

Wishes to inform CD that, contrary to CD’s impression, natural selection is widely accepted in U. S. by educated men; encloses copies of his lectures, papers, and the Index.

Summary

Writes that he does not share at all in Lionel Beale’s letter in Nature [4 (1871): 25–6];

his new experiments are not hopeful.

Summary

Will require at least six weeks’ notice before a new edition of Descent has to go to press because of considerable corrections needed.

Thinks cheap edition of Origin is needed, since he could answer objections in it.

Summary

Obliged for letter about human ear. Comments on ears and on E. R. Lankester’s idea about the ear-lobe.

Summary

Has arranged a trip to the U. S. with Cambridge friends; believes it would be much jollier if Frank could go too.

Summary

Recommends [W. M. Williams] The fuel of the sun [1870] as remarkably illuminating about physical astronomy. Williams solves the problem of duration of sun’s heat in "a most satisfactory manner".

Summary

Is pleased GL is to translate the Journal of researches into Swedish.

Summary

Disagrees with CD and especially with Lubbock and McLennan about communal marriage. [See Descent 2: 361–3.]

Summary

George [Darwin] plans a trip to America and would like FD to go [see 7757]. CD will gladly pay whole cost if the trip will not interfere with FD’s medical work.

Summary

He is waiting to hear about the requirements for the MB examination before considering the possible trip to north America.

Summary

Thanks for the cheque, and also for the offer to pay for him to go on a trip to north America with G. H. Darwin.

Summary

Interested in W. Hepworth Dixon’s Free Russia, but does not know "whether he is to be trusted".

VOK’s hard work in palaeontology will prepare him for future original investigations.

Summary

Thanks for present of FWF’s The witness of history [1871].

Summary

Gives cost of printing photographs [for Expression] by the Woodbury process.

Summary

CD will pay for the American trip if it takes place.

Asks whether FD can help him understand the eyes of cephalopods; is the structure the same as in the Vertebrata and are the parts developed from homologous layers of skin?

Has been pleased by a recent review.

Postscript: Is thinking of a cheap edition of the Origin [1872] in which he hopes to answer St George Mivart’s criticisms.

Asks FD whether he can get some references to good papers on cephalapod eyes.

Summary

Explains about the attendance at St George’s hospital that is required for the MB examaminations, and how this would affect plans for a trip to north America.

Summary

Thanks for a copy of Alexander Buchan’s Introductory text-book of meteorology (Buchan 1871).

Summary

Will translate passages as CD requests [see 7735].

Bitter at Prussian militarism.