Summary

Hopes CD has received his letter of 12 August.

Sends some new observations on climbing plants. [The observations are part of "Notes on some of the climbing-plants, near Desterro, in South Brazil", J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 9 (1867): 344–9.]

Summary

Thanks CD for his paper on climbing plants. Lists the many genera that he has found in his area in a short period since reading CD’s paper. [See 4881.]

Summary

Sends his observations on sterility of Eschscholzia,

on Oxalis,

and on recently found dimorphic plants.

Sends specimen of Hedyotis [see Forms of flowers, p. 133].

Summary

Gives details of some crossing experiments with Eschscholzia.

Describes the grass Streptochaeta, which FM believes to be a primitive grass.

Relates some observations on maize that are well explained by Pangenesis.

Summary

FM’s comments on Climbing Plants.

Summary

Thanks CD for his photograph.

Sends a paper ["Über das Holz einiger um Desterro wachsender Kletterpflanzen", Botanische Zeitung 24 (1866): 57–60, 65–9].

Believes species of sponge with different mineral spiculae are descended from a form with organic spiculae.

Reports observations on motions of Linum stalks following the sun.

Regards Anelasma as a connecting form between cirripedes and Rhizocephala.

Summary

Has read CD’s book on Drosera [Insectivorous plants] and found that it presents new material and is very interesting.

Has discovered that the parasites he thought he had found in Melipona nests are in fact true females. It is remarkable that they differ so greatly from the sterile females and males of their species.

Summary

Has just received CD’s letter of 12 April [13113]. To answer CD’s query, Heteranthera reniformis is an amphibious plant that grows as well on moist ground as it does in ditches filled with water.

For the past few weeks has been observing Phyllanthus plants that had shown the irregular movement in leaves returning from the positions assumed at night, but none has repeated the irregularity. Perhaps the progeny from the seeds he has collected will inherit the tendency for irregular movement.

Describes his observations of the power of movement in Cassia, Desmodium, and a few other plants.

Paul Mayer has identified seven new species of insects FM found in nine different species of figs.

Summary

Thanks CD for the copy of Orchids and papers on Linum and Lythrum [Collected papers 2: 93–105; 106–31].

Intends to travel to the River Itajahy and will make observations on climbing plants. Is not sure whether Dalbergia is a winding plant.

CD has changed FM’s whole perception of nature.

CD has helped him to understand distribution of coastal flora.

The vegetation on Desterro is changing.

Louis Agassiz is seeking evidence against transmutation in the distribution of the fish in the Amazon.

Summary

Cites cases of difference in coloration between the sexes of some species of Crustacea, annelids, and spiders.

Discusses dimorphic plants and self-sterility.

Outlines some experiments involving the crossing of different species of orchids.

Encloses extract from Carl Claus, Die freilebenden Copepoden [1863].

Summary

Thanks CD for Journal of researches.

Insect genus Elater is an exception to the rule that all luminous organs give out a green light.

Gives some observations on climbing plants at Itajahy.

His study of orchids has convinced him of the value of CD’s book.

Summary

"Sambaquis", or shell mounds accumulated by former inhabitants of the coast, contain shells of some animals that FM has never seen living.

Ants that live on imbauba trees (Cecropia) are attracted by small bodies at base of each petiole.

Summary

Observations on a sensitive Mimosa.

Comments on structure and positioning of "odoriferous organs" of moths and butterflies,

and feeding habits of butterfly larvae.

Summary

Describes his experiments in fertilising Oncidium flexuosum and comparison with Notylia.

Has been examining Catasetum.

Encloses seeds of two species of Gesneria and describes hairs in the seed capsule. Hairs in other plants seem to have a different function.

Starting tomorrow for a botanical excursion on the Continent.

Summary

Has no objection to CD’s alluding to FM’s idea that sexual selection has come into play in mimetic butterflies.

Reports observations on other butterflies and on termites.

Summary

Discussion of mimicry and sexual selection among butterflies, occasioned by reading Descent.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s offer of assistance after flood damage.

Comments on Movement in plants. Discusses sleep movements and paraheliotropism of Maranta and other plants.

Describes the fertilisation of figs by Hymenoptera.

Summary

FM much gratified by the appearance of Für Darwin translation.

Discusses dimorphism in Rubiaceae.

Summary

Writes on various observations and discoveries on dimorphic and trimorphic plants.

Summary

Gives some observations on orchids and on some plants which seem to be dichogamous.