My dear Hooker

I worked all the time in London on the vivisection question; & we now think it advisable to go further than a mere petition. Litchfield drew up a sketch of a bill, the essential features of which have been approved by Sanderson, Simon & Huxley, & from conversation, will I believe be approved by Paget, & almost certainly I think by Michael Foster²   Sanderson Simon & Paget wish me to see Lord Derby & endeavour to gain his advocacy with the Home Secretary³ Now if this is carried into effect it will be of great importance to me to be able to say that the bill in its essential features has the approval of some half dozen eminent scientific men. I have therefore asked Litchfield to enclose a copy to you in its first rough form; & if it is not essentially modified may I say that it meets with your approval as Pres. R. S.?⁴ The object is to protect animals & at the same time not to injure Physiology, & Huxley & Sanderson’s approval almost suffices on this head. Pray let me have a line from you soon

Yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin

P.S. I have just read an Italian pamphlet by Delpino on Pitchers; & he says that Dischidia has pitchers & whenever you return to Nepenthes you ought to attend to these;⁵ for Delpino perceives that all other well know pitchers have something in common. He puts the spathe of Alocasia odora under the same heading, as it catches so many insects. What can he mean by the “sesqui pedali tubi” of Sarracenia drummondii in which he finds nothing but a multitude of moths.⁶