Summary

Discusses illustrations for 2d edition of Descent.

"My nephew [Henry Parker] got into the Athenaeum with splendid success."

Summary

Has just read Journal of researches and has been charmed out of his anti-Darwinian prejudice.

Summary

Delighted to hear about Coronilla. Urges publication ["Fertilisation of papilionaceous flowers– Coronilla", Nature 10 (1874): 169–70].

Summary

Supplies evidence to the contrary of CD’s assertion in Expression that dogs do not eat carrion.

Offers to send mud-wasps.

Summary

Is glad to have Descent cheaper and sold more largely, but would be sorry to see it printed like the Origin. "The closeness of the lines is the great fault." Fears book might be very thick. "I hear scores of people complaining of the heavy and thick books which you publish."

Summary

Thanks EM for essay ["Sopra un rara anomalia dell’osso malare", Annu. Soc. Nat. Modena 7 (1873): 1–50]. CD agrees as far as he understands. Cannot see how new modifications could arise by atavism. "The more I study nature, the more I feel convinced that species generally change by extremely slight modifications."

Summary

Discusses 2d edition of Descent. CD is inclined to a cheap edition and asks JM to consider a one-volume edition in double-column format.

Summary

On supernumerary mammae in a male patient.

Summary

Finding that the leaves of Drosera digest all the phosphate of lime out of bones and then remain clasped over the bones for a long time, CD wants to determine whether it is the phosphate of lime or the animal matter in the bones that keeps them clasped. He asks EF to send 2 or 3 grams of pure phosphate of lime for his testing. [See 9411.] Will experiment in the summer using EF’s suggestion that leaves might serve to test weak sewage. Results of Sanderson’s experiments with acids of great use.

Summary

Thanks an unknown correspondent for the 4th edition of his 'remarkable work'.

Summary

Asks correspondent to obtain odd numbers of Flora.

Summary

On proportion of sexes in litters of greyhounds.

Summary

WW’s information accords with other accounts lately received. CD had formed an erroneous opinion on the subject.

Summary

Sends his screed about the brain [for Descent], which he thinks pounds the enemy into a jelly.

Is in good health.

Summary

Thanks for the seeds and plants that he requested.

Summary

Sends some phosphates of lime free of animal matter [see Insectivorous plants, p. 109].

Summary

His note on the brain should be in small type.

Glad CD agrees with him on hand, foot, and skull question.

Has heard from Dohrn.

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

CD’s son Francis is to be married, so CD is seeking advice as to how much he should arrange as a marriage-settlement.

Summary

Thanks for the pure phosphate of lime.