Summary

Has three common garden plants of which he needs to know correct names; will send specimens as soon as he hears JDH is back.

Summary

Thanks JLGK for photos of natives of Queensland.

Asks if he can observe whether worms throw up castings in wet weather.

Summary

Observations on bees’ biting holes in Lathyrus.

Suggests an experiment FD could carry out with Drosera.

CD is working on Mimosa, and "everything has turned out as perversely as possible".

Summary

Asks for details about microscope parts.

Wants FD to ask Hooker for species of Desmodium; CD believes he has found new movements.

Also ask whether Hooker has Drosophyllum.

Summary

It is Huxley’s "duty to do what we wish him to do – his duty to his wife and children, his duty to us and to the world". Shares CD’s wish that Mrs [Henry] L[yell?] had not subscribed – it suggests the idea of an effort.

Summary

Acknowledges CD’s cheque.

Sends CD cheque for profits on Orchids and a statement of stock on hand of CD’s works [missing].

Origin and Expression sales are stagnant.

Summary

Thanks for sending WHF’s lecture, ‘On palaeontological evidence of the modifications of animal forms’ (Flower 1873).

Summary

Has had a week’s cessation of Nepenthes work.

Had to get out a paper for the Linnean Society on Thursday.

Has tried Mimosa albida in hothouse and found it wonderfully sensitive.

A military report from India praises his travel book.

Summary

Confirms previous observations on ants [see 8788].

Summary

Reports that he has not received JSBS’s book on histology and physiology [Sanderson ed., Handbook for the physiological laboratory (1873)], which Edward Emmanuel Klein told CD’s son was to be sent. He asks for information so that he may thank Dr Klein. [Klein and Michael Foster were co-authors with JSBS.]

He has returned the Gazette to Dr T. L. Brunton. [See 8825.]

Summary

Hopes JT does not think him over-cautious in requesting the return of the copies [of Huxley’s letter]. Has sent Huxley a list of the subscribers.

Summary

Is glad and proud to honour the memory of Adam Sedgwick [d. 1873].

Summary

H. W. Bates says CD is in town. WWR would like to call.

Summary

Comments on CHB’s book [Experimental researches on catarrhus aestivus – hay-fever or hay-asthma (1873)].

Explains that some pollens are wind-blown while others depend on insects for dispersal. Effect of pollen on skin and mucous membrane astonishing. Sends a book [M. Wyman, Autumnal catarrh (1872)].

Summary

Has completed his book [The African sketch-book (1873)].

Summary

Comments on EH’s Natürliche Schöpfungsgeschichte [4th ed.].

Has written paper on rudimentary structures ["Complemental males of certain cirripedes", (1873) Collected papers 2: 177–82].

Edward Morse thinks brachiopods should be classed with annelids ["The systematic position of the Brachiopoda", Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 15 (1873): 315–73].

Summary

Thanks for FH’s work on the means of the distribution of plants (Hildebrand 1873).

Summary

"The following fact with respect to the habits of ants, which I believe to be quite new, has been sent to me by a distinguished geologist, Mr J. D. Hague [see 8788]; and it appears well worth publishing."

Summary

Pleased that JC-B will review Expression.

Fears he will not be able to improve the book with JC-B’s "wonderfully curious" photographs because Murray printed such a large edition.

Would be glad to have JC-B’s notes on inheritance – "a most important subject".

Summary

Thanks for congratulations on appearance of abstract of HA’s paper [Nature 7 (1873): 343–4].

Explains again his theory of "contraction with twist" by which compact buds and a spiral phyllotaxy have evolved. Explains how the peculiar phyllotaxy of the teasel is explicable by this process of "condensation".