Summary

Offers to send MS of part of his new book [Life and habit] which gently pokes fun at CD. His book will offer an alternative to Pangenesis.

Summary

Nomenclature for kinds of heliotropism.

Summary

SB’s book [Life and habit (1878)] will be bound shortly. He will send two copies, one of which can be given to CD. To SB’s surprise it has turned out to be an attack on CD’s views and a defence of Lamarck; describes how he was brought to the opinions expressed in it.

Summary

Will publish Origin first

and then Descent.

AS is looking for a job in a zoological museum or accompanying an expedition.

Summary

WM, a pharmaceutical chemist, sends Stoddard’s pure sea-salts.

Bolton, the chemist FD mentioned, is dead and his books were probably destroyed. His successor, Linford, went bankrupt.

Summary

Problem with Charles Reinwald could be solved if CD would ask that French edition [of Erasmus Darwin] follow English. EK willing to co-operate with Reinwald.

Summary

Roots arising from stems and shoots of brambles.

Summary

Sends [for CD’s possible use] his observations on spines of fir used by worms to block burrows.

Summary

Sends enclosed letters and hopes they are not too late. Letter of 8 July 1881 important because it contains clear statement of CD’s attitude to religious questions.

Summary

CD will take care of the eight little rabbits. FG outlines their future.

Summary

Sends drawings of dogs in different attitudes, drawn by his friend A. May. FD should not trouble CD unless he thinks the drawings will please him. [See Expression, pp. 54–5.]

Summary

Sends proofs of Variation [2d ed.] for FD to look over.

Summary

Sends Fritz Müller’s view that many of the pointed appendages on the tip of the maxilla of Vanessa atalanta are organs of feeling or taste.

Summary

CD has just had an interview with Edward Frankland, who "almost laughs" at FD’s idea of getting potash and soda out of the soil by treating it with sulphuric acid. Asks FD to send him a soil sample to give to Frankland. Sends enclosures giving address and labels for soil samples.

Summary

Expresses his pride in FD, whose article ["On the structure of the snail’s heart", J. Anat. Physiol. 10 (1876): 506–10] was highly praised by G. H. Lewes.

Lewes has also been quoting FD’s letter in Nature [13 (1876): 384–5] on pycrotoxine in relation to the vivisection controversy.

Was introduced to James Sully, author of the article in Mind on Wilhelm Wundt ["Physiological psychology in Germany", 1 (1876): 20–43]

and Sensation and intuition (1874) [see 10320], by "Mrs Lewes" (George Eliot).

Summary

Discusses FD’s observations on the protrusion of protoplasmic masses by cells of the teasel. Suggests analogy with amoeba. "I would work at this subject if I were you, to the point of death."

Summary

Comments on FD’s discovery – "if it so proves". It will be important to see whether the protoplasm oozes through the cell-walls [of Dipsacus] or whether it can be withdrawn.

Summary

Looks to FD’s "grand discovery" as almost certain. Suggests observations.

Summary

On burnt soils.