Summary

Pleased with JDH’s account of his French tour.

Doctor Brinton, recommended by Busk, does not believe CD’s brain or heart affected. Feels he is going steadily downhill. If so, hopes his life will be short.

Sends Haast’s letter.

Summary

Asks to borrow J. J. Audubon [Ornithological biography (1831–9)].

Summary

Council of the Royal Society have awarded CD the Copley Medal.

Summary

There have been delays, but William Darwin’s banking position is nearly settled.

Is going to Torquay, where he will write up his work on orchids.

Summary

JDH on the Lyell–Lubbock plagiarism controversy. His view of the true cause of Lubbock’s behaviour.

Summary

Gives Lyell’s report of conversation with Sabine about the grounds for the award of CD’s [Copley] Medal.

Summary

Comments and criticisms on JL’s paper [possibly: "On the development of Chloëon dimidiatum", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 24 (1863): 61–78].

Summary

Signs a certificate sent to him by CD [see 12954].

Sends CD a ticket to his lecture on 25 February, in which he will propose that the mode by which the excitable parts of plants influence other parts at a distance is essentially the same as in the excitable structure of animals, contrary to the views of Hermann Munk and Julius Sachs.

Interested in chapters 6 and 7 of Movement in plants.

Summary

Reports on the habits of the cutting ant of Texas, particularly its habit of planting shade trees to protect its mound from sun.

Summary

Has read CD’s latest book and will make observations for CD.

Reports on a monkey that throws things when "angry".

Explains how natives count to more than four; CD incorrect on this point.

Sends photographs of blacks.

Cicadas out in force.

Summary

Discusses errors in Descent. Not surprised that WT is not committed to full acceptance of evolution of man.

At work on Expression. Asks about muscles that raise spines of hedgehog and tail coverts of peacock. Asks about influence of mind on capillaries with regard to blushing. Mentions views of James Paget on influence of the mind on nutrition of body parts.

Summary

Suggests CD use a tabular form for Army doctors to write their observations on, and suggests it be limited to malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery.

Summary

Thanks WDF for his letter [on steel traps].

Gives a better report of CD’s health since he gave up water-cure.

Summary

CD’s health.

Family and local news.

Summary

Applauds CD’s expression of dissent from J. S. Mill’s view of differences of mental powers of men and women [Descent 2: 326–9]. Sends some corrections.

Summary

Asks JC to pay him a professional visit at Down to consider whether the ice treatment would apply to his case. Describes his sickness.

Summary

Has sent Balfour’s certificate on to Ray Lankester, and encloses a certificate for Moseley for CD to sign.

Calls attention to a paper by Emil Bessels on Eskimos, which he extracts [see 10737].

CD has cited GR for material that is not his in Variation, 2d ed., 1: 469, on transmission of mutilation.

Summary

It is improbable that he changed the wording of Sabine’s address without his noticing. Proceeds to defend the passage by quoting the rules of the award of the Copley Medal and the Royal Society Council’s action in this case, which is accurately presented in the wording of the award.

Summary

Thanks CD for subscribing to the Cybele Hibernica.

Reports some observations made on the common buffaloes of India seen swimming and diving in 12ft of floodwater in order to crop the herbage beneath.

Summary

Working on abstract, which now is to consist of a number of sections each to be read at Linnean Society and to be published as a unit. Has finished section on variation under domestication.