Summary

Has learned that Fritz Müller is HM’s brother.

Summary

Thanks CD for his efforts to get HM’s book, Die Befruchtung der Blumen [1873], translated into English. [See Fertilisation of flowers, translated by D’Arcy W. Thompson, preface by C. Darwin (1883).]

Will soon return to his observations on insects in general and bees in particular.

Summary

He has never observed the straight line flight routes in male humble-bees that CD reports.

His last letter was in error: alpine Bombus terrestris does break into some flowers.

Summary

Reports on insects fertilising Viola tricolor and on the fertilisation of the two wild forms [see Cross and self-fertilisation, p. 124 n., 125].

Summary

Thanks AD-P for the gift of part of his Atlas [see 11039].

Summary

Queries about expressions in crying monkeys.

Has received letter from Hermann Müller on orchid fertilisation.

Summary

Thanks CD for MS on the routes of male bees.

His "Fertilisation of flowers" is complete [Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)].

Summary

Thanks for seeds

and information about earthworms.

Is working hard at movement in plants.

Summary

Praises Expression.

Reports on Fritz Müller’s observations of cross- and self-fertilisation. HM will cultivate the two forms [i.e., mainly self-fertilised and mainly cross-fertilised] in the way CD has described.

He continues his observation of wild flowers. Encloses drawing of Viola tricolor with notes on its self-fertility.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s praise of his book [see 8901].

Summary

Has heard from W. Engelmann of Leipzig; he is willing to let CD have the woodcuts to Fritz Müller’s work [Für Darwin (1864)] for 22 thalers.

Summary

CD arranging for a translation of FM’s Für Darwin by W. S. Dallas.

Summary

Thanks for facts on orchids.

Friedrich Hildebrand’s new book on fertilisation of plants [Die Geschlechten-Vertheilung bei den Pflanzen (1867)].

CD correcting proofs of Variation.

FM likes Ernst Haeckel’s book [Generelle Morphologie (1866)].

Summary

Fritz Müller is now working on the Brazilian honey-bees (Melipona and Trigona).

HM thanks CD for fertilisation references.

Summary

HM’s son will visit CD when he comes to London.

Is glad CD approves of his judgment of G. Bonnier’s paper on nectaries [Gaston Bonnier, "Les nectaires", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 8 (1879): 5–212].

Summary

Pleased HM says good words for Pangenesis.

Summary

HM is certain his brother Fritz would like to see Für Darwin translated into English by Dallas. He will make arrangements with the German publisher.

Two friends are writing Darwinian works: Adolf Speyer on phylogeny of Lepidoptera

and August Röse on genealogy of mosses.

Summary

Is sending CD the seeds of a beautiful Cassia given to him by a friend. He sketched the unripe fruit a few months ago. This plant is rare in the area around Sta Catharina. He has found their largest and most beautiful butterfly Callidryas manippe near this tree and its caterpillars living on its leaves. Comments on how remarkable it is to find a species limited to living on a single tree in so large an area.

Summary

HM intends studying bees to find evidence supporting CD’s theories. His work has shown him there are problems in separating species from varieties, and has also revealed many surprising instances of variation in habits.

Summary

Further comments on HM’s [Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)].