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.

Summary

Carlyle hoped CD had not been annoyed by that forged letter, which was the reverse of his opinion. [Enclosed is a published extract, said to be taken from a Thomas Carlyle letter, which denies CD’s intellect and regrets his influence.]

Summary

Suggests revisions in JDH’s 1877 Presidential Address to the Royal Society [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. (1877): 427–46].

Summary

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

Summary

On publishing details for various CD books.

Has no corrections for new issue of Descent [2d ed.].

Questions amount of cheque for profits.

Summary

Comments on GJR’s lecture on evolution.

Regrets failure of graft experiments.

Hopes GJR will not give up on Pangenesis. Mentions article by Gustav Jäger on Pangenesis.

Summary

Asks GHD to determine whether there are worm-castings in cloisters of [Neville?] Court.

Enjoyed his visit to Cambridge. Asks for newspaper account of the LL.D.

Summary

[Samuel] Laurence, having painted the Prince of Wales, now wants to paint another great man; will use a photograph but would like a ten minute interview with CD to mix his tints.

Summary

Sends MS [of Forms of flowers]. Since sale is likely to be small, Murray may not want to publish it on usual terms. CD thinks it may be his last book and asks Murray to publish it on most favourable terms he can afford.

Summary

Sends two papers on Roman ruins at Cirencester, which he asks CD to return.

Worm observations.

Summary

Counted 40 worm-holes after rain; four or five in the wall.

Summary

Kind of JP to send notes on horses, but will not write on subject again.

Erasmus Darwin has not left his house for three years.

Summary

CD desires her to say that the cream of THF’s letter of congratulations about William [Darwin]’s marriage [to Sara Sedgwick] lay in the P.S. about "the beloved worms, and not in any such trifles as marrying, &c".

Summary

Thanks THF for the diary of worm activity at Abinger site.

Summary

Will be interested in reading AdeC’s paper on Smilax. The transition from hermaphroditic to unisexual condition is a perplexing problem.

CD agrees that there is much justice in AdeC’s criticism of his use of the terms "object", "end", and "purpose" but thinks "those who believe that organs have been gradually modified by natural selection for a special purpose, may I think use the above terms correctly though no conscious being has intervened".

CD and Francis are hard at work on the function of "bloom" but CD doubts that the experiments will tell them much.

Does AdeC have a decided opinion on whether plants with glaucous leaves are more frequent in hot or dry than in cold or wet countries?

Francis has been getting "striking" results from feeding meat to Drosera.

Summary

Asks FD to forward some eczema mixture to Southampton for him

and to hunt out notes on earthworm activity at Beaulieu Abbey.

Summary

Sends "worm journal" – observations of earthworm activity at Abinger.

Summary

Wants HD to observe earthworm activity at Roman antiquities of Chedworth and Cirencester.

Summary

Memorandum on Silchester. Report by IGJ of investigations carried out at Silchester with Frank and Horace [Darwin] on earthworm activity at the site of a Roman villa. Sections of vertical cuttings at Silchester, traced from the journal of the excavations of the Roman house, and notes on the same.