Summary

Hibiscus and Nolana seeds not harvested at Kew. Sends list of the best plants of Lilium he can give.

Asks CD for name of work on orchids mentioned in his supplementary paper ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Summary

The "man-essay" [Descent] is "very interesting but very difficult".

Cat-like behaviour in dogs.

Thanks for information from Louis Agassiz;

wishes he could feel he deserves what Alexander Agassiz says of him.

Summary

He did observe that Ophrys apifera fertilised itself as CD described and O. lutea as well.

Moroccans are too civilised, taciturn, and unfriendly to make anything of them for expressions of emotions.

Moraines and negative results on Atlas alpine flora are the only points of the journey worth much.

Summary

Willy is back from New Zealand. JDH perturbed by what to do with him.

J. W. Dawson’s Bakerian lecture for Royal Society is full of errors, and JDH is forced to recommend that it not be published. [An abstract of the lecture was published: "On the pre-Carboniferous floras of north-eastern America", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 18 (1869–70): 333–5.]

Summary

Has read the notes on Rond [Round] Island which he owes to JDH. What an enigma its flora and fauna present, especially the problem of monocotyledons! Asks JDH’s opinion.

A new book on St Helena confirms CD’s observations.

Summary

Bentham has translated Miquel’s Sumatran supplement to his Flora van Nederlandsch Indie. It should be published. What does CD think is best vehicle? Nature is wretched and too ephemeral. What about Popular Science Review?

Summary

Discusses germination of charlock after a long interval.

Summary

CD has complained of pins and needles keeping him from working on his book [Descent]. If he could spend ten days with HBJ, he would be well and fit.

Summary

Thanks AS for his kindness towards himself and his family. Looks back with great satisfaction to his last visit ("as it will probably prove") to Cambridge.

Summary

Hooker admires THH’s review of Mivart [see 7977]. Most impressed by THH’s handling of metaphysics.

Hooker’s problems: family health and A. S. Ayrton [Commissioner of Works].

Summary

Writes of CD’s recent visit to Cambridge and the joy it gave him.

Summary

Orchids translation should goad [French] Academy into electing CD.

JDH will be sent to St Petersburg congress by Government.

Huxley on protoplasm; his address to Geological Society.

Fertilised an Aucuba with pollen of various species. Reports on results.

Summary

Sorry to hear of JDH’s troubles;

pleased he thinks so highly of Huxley’s article [see 7977].

Huxley makes CD feel infantile in intellect (as JDH once said of himself). CD is not so good a Christian as JDH thinks, for he did enjoy his revenge on Mivart.

Summary

Urges Frank to reconsider his refusal of Cambridge Examinership.

Summary

Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.

Summary

Believes AG’s cases of incipient dimorphism are due to mere variability. Has found examples in Nolana and Amsinckia; believes such variation is the basis for the development of dimorphism. Was unaware of variations in Phlox.

Sensitivity of Drosera and Dionaea.

Summary

Sets a time for CD to call.

Summary

Thanks for copy of Descent.

Admires natural selection.

Climbing plants has attracted attention in Germany, but most botanists are interested in cell development and similar questions.

Summary

Thanks CD for Variation.

From his work on insect embryology he sees a great parallelism between insect and vertebrate embryology.

The zoological station is slowly advancing.