Summary

Returns proofs [of JT’s Belfast address, Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): lxvi–xcvii]. Gratified by what it says about his work and is anxious to read the whole address; it is a grand subject.

Summary

Acknowledges CD’s complaint against a paper [by St George Mivart] in the last Quarterly Review [see 9568]. Agrees to print George Darwin’s answer [see 9596].

Summary

The Club is proposing to celebrate Humboldt’s 105th birthday and would welcome a message from CD.

Summary

States his indebtedness to and admiration for Humboldt and his work.

Summary

Describes his work on Nepenthes.

Cephalotus is a beast.

His address is a history of Dionaea, Sarracenia, and Drosera.

Thiselton-Dyer has helped enormously except with the observations; but his health is so poor that JDH thinks he is "evidently cut out for a Literate not a working botanist".

Summary

The occurrence and prevention of scale in boilers.

Anxious to hear Murray’s reply [to CD’s letter 9598].

Summary

It is splendid how Nepenthes is behaving. Drosera and Dionaea are insignificant by comparison.

Takes rather a malicious pleasure in JDH’s failure with Cephalotus as a match to his with Utricularia.

Summary

Reports difficulties in experiments on digestion of fibro-cartilage. Asks about JSBS’s experiments with artificial digestive fluids.

JSBS must read Hooker’s address at Belfast [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 103–16] to see what a magnificent digester Nepenthes is.

Summary

Sends specimens of Pinguicula with insects adhering. [See Insectivorous plants, p. 369.]

Summary

Thanks EN for his book [Indian snakes, 2d ed. (1874)]. CD is pleased that it calls attention to gradation in the character of snake poison.

Summary

Reports on a crossbreed between a duck and a fowl, having duck’s beak, partly webbed feet, and fowl’s feathers.

Summary

Sends his observations on the method of fertilisation of Hedychium coronarium by Sphinx and other hawk-moths.

Summary

Lady Dorothy Nevill is CD’s best chance for Dionaea.

Reports on Belfast meeting of BAAS. Lubbock’s lecture went off admirably. Huxley’s was the magnum opus.

Encloses letter from Mrs Barber on protective coloration of animals.

Summary

Reports observations on a chicken with a human face.

Summary

Sends CD a box of Pinguicula leaves.

Summary

Thanks JDH for his "quite admirable" address [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874) pt 2: 102–16]. Suggests revisions.

CD thinks he is "now on right track about Utricularia" after wasting several weeks "in fruitless trials and observations".

Mrs Barber’s paper is very curious and ought to be published.

Summary

Glad to hear about sticky fluid on leaves. WCM need not bother to count leaves.

Summary

Utricularia catch freshwater Crustaceans, which cannot be digested and rot in the bladders. CD is interested to identify any substance produced in the putrefaction before it is resolved into gases and salts of ammonia. He has reason to believe that the plant absorbs such products.

Summary

Likes GHD’s article ["Professor Whitney on the origin of language", Contemp. Rev. (1874): 894]. "You have defended me nobly."