Summary

Wants CD’s advice on who would undertake describing the Crustacea from the Challenger expedition [1872–6].

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

Requests duplicates of [H. M. S.] Challenger Pycnogonidae.

Summary

Lists the tasks he has completed; sends on letter from Romanes; news of Bernard.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s comments on ["Evolution of nerves"]. Admits that he may have "been too keen in my scent after nerves".

Notes effect of reversing direction of current in muscular tissue.

Summary

Thanks for Cross and self-fertilisation.

Fritz Müller has been appointed "Naturalista Viajante" of the Rio de Janeiro Museum, which will help his income greatly.

Summary

Supports Torbitt. Keenly aware of danger of growing crops from a single variety. Torbitt’s paper to Belfast BAAS meeting ["On the potato-disease", Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 134] was sat upon.

Summary

Requests seeds for experiments he and Frank are doing on automatic movements of cotyledons.

Summary

Thanks CD for new [2d] edition of Orchids.

Mentions some observations on dimorphic plants.

Reports on a third species of Pontederia [see Forms of flowers, p. 185].

Describes some unusual grasses.

Reports rumours from southern Brazil concerning the existence of a gigantic subterranean animal.

Summary

Such honours as proposal for election to Institut affect CD very little.

GdeS’s idea that dicotyledonous plants were not developed until sucking insects evolved is a splendid one. The suggestion that fertilisation of the surviving members of the most ancient dicotyledons should be studied is a good one. CD hopes GdeS will keep it in mind.

Summary

Has just read GA’s article in Fortnightly Review ["A problem of human evolution", 31 (1879): 778–86]. GA’s views very probable. Something wonderful to hear anyone defending sexual selection.

Summary

Thanks for observations on worm-castings and for JLGK’s amusing letter.

Wants to know whether species of Eucalyptus are dichogamous. [The P.S. on Eucalyptus may be part of another letter to another correspondent.]

Summary

Thanks for Insectivorous plants.

Believes Lepidoptera are of greater importance as fertilisers in alpine regions than in lowlands.

The famous stone pits of Ohningen are for sale.

Summary

Earthworms leave their burrows on hearing rifle volleys.

Summary

A report has arrived for FD which CD will forward.

Summary

Thanks him for book by Grant Allen [Physiological aesthetics (1877)].

Comments on dispute over spontaneous generation.

The Council [of the Royal Society] will not print Frank Darwin’s paper on Dipsacus [in Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.].

Mentions GJR’s grafting experiments

and his investigation of spiritualism.

Summary

Glaciation in the British Isles.

S. B. J. Skertchley’s researches on Palaeolithic man in England [Nature 14 (1876): 448–9].

Summary

Considers Brown-Séquard’s discovery of inheritance of injury to nerves most important hereditary observation ever. Extremely interested in correspondent’s confirmation. Impressed that in reported cases of inherited injury suppuration tends to follow the injury.

Summary

Questions the exact location of rooms and trenches at Abinger excavation [for Earthworms].

Summary

Thanks for EK’s book [Werden und Vergehen (1876)].

Regrets he cannot write for EK’s journal, but his son, Francis, may do so.

Suggests EK as editor urge on readers [of Kosmos] the investigation of the causes of variability; why, for instance, do wild Pampas cattle change colour when domesticated? Thinks experiments and observations on recently domesticated animals and cultivated plants would throw light on the subject.