Summary

Acknowledges presentation copy of Cross and self-fertilisation.

Thanks for visit to Down.

Praise for CD’s theories.

Summary

Questions CD on sale of his books in America by Appleton and other publishers; copyright and translation rights.

Summary

Plants received from JDH.

Requests he verify an identification by Fritz Müller.

Summary

Thanks for volume on craniology

and for suggestion to Austrian Government that CD receive volumes on Novara voyage.

Summary

Dimorphism and cleistogamy in Hottonia.

AG wants new, unambiguous term for what is now referred to as "dimorphism", "dioecio-dimorphism", or "heterostyly"; proposes "heterogone".

Sends an excerpt from Bulletin of Torrey Botanical Club 2 (June 1871) on Hottonia inflata.

Summary

Thanks for copy of Cross and self-fertilisation.

Reports instances of cross-fertilisation in maize,

and succession of forms of flowers on Isle of Wight.

Asks CD’s suggestions for his second edition of Julius von Sachs’s Text-book of botany.

Summary

CD is glad to propose FMB for Royal Society. Explains information and certificates needed.

Summary

Sends a passage relevant to Pangenesis [on regional accents distinguishable in the speech of those born deaf] from Life, letters, and journals of George Ticknor [ed. G. S. Hillard, vol. 1 (1876)], p. 196.

Tells of the controversy about evolution raging in Dunedin, with clergy playing a prominent part.

Summary

Much pleased with CD’s book [Cross and self-fertilisation]. Is struck by width and caution of his generalisations and by the application of experiment to processes of life hitherto merely observed.

Summary

Discusses some dimorphic plants.

Sends specimens of Rhamnus but his few specimens of Leucosmia are very poor.

Summary

Describes new journal, Kosmos, to be edited by Ernst Krause. Asks CD to lend his name to journal.

Has sent Anthropogenie, 3d ed.

Will send his study [Biologische Studien, pt 2: Studien zur Gastraea-theorie (1877)] in January.

Thanks CD for hospitality at Down.

Summary

Considers some flowers especially adapted for self-fertilisation, and believes all flowers are self-fertilising under some conditions. Gives examples of plants in which he believes all flowers are cleistogamous. Believes self-fertilisation is the primordial condition of flowering plants.

Summary

He has examined Hoya flowers with Bentham and Oliver, but they are not satisfied about the five processes alternating with the sepals. [See Forms of flowers, pp. 331–2.] Sends specimens of plants.

Babington’s surprise at JDH’s advocacy of Darwinian views at Norwich [BAAS meeting].

Criticism of the behaviour of the trustees of the British Museum [in the Challenger affair].

Summary

Lists his chief publications and suggests names of biologists in the Royal Society whom CD might ask to sign his nomination certificate.

Summary

Thanks for Cross and self-fertilisation.

Discusses geographical implications of inbreeding. Can the length of time an insular flora has been isolated be estimated by its weakness due to inbreeding?