Summary

Last issue of Nature has made him "awfully proud". [See R. S. Ball, "A glimpse through the corridors of time", Nature 25 (1881): 79–82.]

Summary

Discusses financial affairs.

Summary

Praises JDH’s York address.

S. B. J. Skertchly has paralleled Axel Blytt’s work in Cambridgeshire fens.

JDH too cautious on southern glacial period.

Is Kew interested in Azores plants collected by Arruda Furtado, a local inhabitant and an evolutionist?

Summary

Discusses earthworm activity

and animal grazing on slopes.

Summary

Summarises letter of William Nation [13350]. The facts given strongly support the conclusion that there is some close connection between the parasitic habits of birds that lay their eggs in others’ nests and the fact of their laying eggs at "considerable intervals of time".

Summary

Thanks WED for some earthworm observations.

Discusses investments.

Summary

Responds to JDH’s outline history of plant geography.

Considers Humboldt the "greatest scientific traveller who ever lived".

Discusses the origin and rapid radiation of angiosperms in Cretaceous period.

Comments on importance of work of Alphonse de Candolle, Saporta, Axel Blytt.

Summary

CD interested by FM’s facts on movement of plants; has sent some to Nature ["Movement of leaves", Collected papers 2: 228–9]. Greatly admires FM’s work. Suggests an experiment to investigate movement in Phyllanthus.

Summary

FM’s view on meaning of two-coloured stamens in many flowers; CD has been looking through his old notes on dimorphism for supporting evidence. Intends to send extract of FM’s letter to Nature or to Linnean Society.