Summary

Thanks for accounts which make everything intelligible to him. Since he was glad to have Orchids published at one-half of profits for himself, he believes it would be very shabby to accept JM’s new offer of two-thirds profits. Thinks it would be fairer to both to change to JM’s usual practice with authors [i.e., annual statements of sales, payments based on them, and final accounting when all copies have been sold].

Summary

Sends CD his share of profits on Descent and Forms of flowers.

Wants to reprint Cross and self-fertilisation because supply of copies is entirely exhausted.

Congratulates CD on his Cambridge honour [LL.D.].

Summary

Describes case of two varieties of Russian wheat, the kubanka (or White Turkish) and the saxonka, which grow side by side with no intermediate varieties. As kubanka gradually yields place to saxonka, thinks an unusual tendency to jumping variation [saltation] operates; suggests CD urge some young botanist to investigate [see ML 2: 419–22].

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

Answers CD’s query about payment made to him [for Descent and Forms of flowers] and explains the basis on which it was made. Because of CD’s wish to be paid before editions are sold off, profits must be estimated. If he were willing to accept annual statements of sales, payments based on them, and final accounting when all were sold, there would be no uncertainty. This is JM’s usual practice.

Summary

Encloses extract [missing] on a caterpillar.

Mentions William Buckler’s magnificent drawings of caterpillars [The larvae of the British butterflies and moths, Ray Soc. (1886–91)], but doubts Buckler will lend them for any Darwinian purpose. John Hellins has a portion of drawings and is more liberal.

Summary

Comments on CD’s Cross and self-fertilisation: its usefulness to florists, and his solution of a long standing puzzle in showing the increase of monstrosities in self-fertilised plants.

Summary

Suggests that the scarcity of holly berries is owing to the scarcity of bees during the spring, rather than to frost. He does not know what caused the scarcity of bees.

Summary

JDH recounts discussion at Royal Society over Günther’s paper on distribution and affinities of gigantic tortoises ["Description of the living and extinct races of gigantic land-tortoises, Parts III and IV", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 25 (1876–7): 506–7]. Huxley suggests they are Miocene relics.

Royal Society will publish Frank’s Dipsacus paper [but see 10971 and 11073].

Thiselton-Dyer will review Cross and self-fertilisation.

Summary

Thanks for ESM’s address ["What American zoologists have done for evolution", Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 25 (1876)].

J. A. Allen’s work is important as apparently showing change through direct action of [external] conditions.

CD has given up trying to understand E. D. Cope and Alpheus Hyatt on acceleration and retardation.

Summary

Sends MS notes on intercrossing.

Describes different reactions of rabbits and guinea-pigs to stinging nettles.

Has made a number of grafts at Kew.

Encloses notes on natural selection; discussion of factors mitigating the swamping influence of intercrossing on incipient variations.

Summary

He has defended Tyndall, CD, and others against attacks of a clergyman.