Summary

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

Summary

Observations on Coronilla.

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

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

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

Offers to send mud-wasps.

Summary

Purpose of experiments was to determine digestive activity of liquids containing pepsin. Gives required amounts of hydrochloric, propionic, butyric and valerianic acids. Describes experiment and gives results. Also experimented on digestive activity of butyric acid at greater temperatures than the termperature of the body.

Summary

Just back from Gold Coast.

Would like to become a member of the Royal Institution.

Summary

Sends cherry blossoms damaged by birds in response to CD’s letter in Nature ["Flowers of the primrose", Collected papers 2: 183–4].

Summary

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

Is in good health.

Summary

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

Summary

Wants some plants for observation and for experimentation on their powers of movement.

Asks WTT-D to make observations on plants with sensitive stamens or pistil.

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

Asks correspondent to obtain odd numbers of Flora.

Summary

Has received circulars, and contributions from Lyell and George Busk [for Naples biological station].

Summary

Agrees to sign FDeC’s certificate for admission to the Royal Society.

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

On supernumerary mammae in a male patient.

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

Bullfinches’ instinctive capacity for removing nectaries from cowslips.

Summary

FM gives his own observations of leaf-cutting ants, which support those of Thomas Belt in his book [The naturalist in Nicaragua (1873)]. [See 9223.] These ants feed only upon the fungus that grows upon the leaves that they carry to their nests.

He has caught a moth of the Glaucopidæ that when touched emitted a cloud of snow-white wool.

Observations on the stingless bees of Brazil.