Summary

Gives his opinion of Rolla Charles Meadows Rouse, who is tutoring Horace Darwin in mathematics.

Has not heard that Horace has a chance of a minor scholarship.

Summary

Thanks correspondent, "Ponderer", for pointing out his erroneous calculation of the rate of increase of elephants in Origin [p. 64]. [!?or p. 74!? (see 6775f), or 75, (see 6790)]

Summary

[A quotation in CD’s hand, signed and dated, from the introduction to Orchids.] "I have never once expressed a wish for aid or for information, which has not been granted, as far as possible, in the most liberal spirit."

Summary

Because readers have arrived at different answers to the problem of the rate of increase of elephants, CD offers a rule, used by his son George, for calculating the product for any number of generations.

[Letter erroneously dated June.]

Summary

Encloses letter and paper to be forwarded to B. J. Sulivan.

Summary

Thanks correspondent for sending curious facts about his cats.

Summary

Comments on a case of crossing distant plants of Habenaria

and on hermaphroditism in hybrid plants.

Summary

Thanks correspondent for sending extracts about the jackal.

Summary

Comments on A. W. Bennett’s letter [Nature 1 (1869): 58] on fertilisation of winter-flowering plants. CD used net, not a bell-glass to cover Lamium.

Refers to F. Delpino’s observations on fertilisation of grasses; CD is glad to say these observations are compatible with "the very general law that distinct individual plants must be occasionally crossed".

Summary

CD has already agreed that Julius Victor Carus will translate his next book.

Summary

Has given the right of translation [of Descent] to Julius Victor Carus of Leipzig, so the recipient should inform Alexander Duncker to communicate with JVC.

Summary

Suggests the recipient catch the 4.12 train.

Summary

Declines offer of book on physics.

Summary

When CD comes to London in ten days, he will "immediately call on you and explain why I cannot at once answer your question".

Summary

Regrets that Hartogh Heijs van Zouteveen has already translated his new book into Dutch.

Summary

"If you will apply to any bookseller whatever you will procure a copy.–– Publisher Murray."

Summary

Thanks for two reviews of Descent. Second is "most fair, kind and carefully abstracted".

Summary

Replies to Francis Galton’s paper on tranfusing blood between rabbits to test Pangenesis [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–40]. FG’s conclusion that his experiments prove Pangenesis to be false is "a little hasty", since CD had never maintained that gemmules in the blood formed any part of his hypothesis.

Summary

Thanks correspondent for item of criticism in a foreign newspaper.

Summary

CD and Emma request transfer of some shares to E. A. Darwin.