Summary

CD’s Utricularia findings – bladders, subterranean roots, and insects decomposing in them – a grand discovery.

Summary

Huxley has shown him the jaws of an Anoplotherium brought from the Gallegos by R. O. Cunningham.

Saw Hallett’s wheat crops at Brighton; results of his selection very striking.

Huxley is assembling his Darwiniana papers for republication.

Has written a crushing reply to Richard Congreve ["The scientific aspects of positivism", Fortn. Rev. n.s. 5 (1869): 653–70] and JDH feels "infantine" beside him.

Comments on Sabine’s being offered and accepting K.C.B.

Summary

Has met Capt. George Strong Nares of the Challenger expedition at Huxley’s.

Huxley much at a loss to explain red clay at deep sea-bottom.

Summary

Two Nepenthes have devoured two pieces of fibrin [sketch shows size] in three days.

Has CD any objection to JDH’s giving an account of CD’s Drosera observations at Belfast [BAAS meeting] in a résumé of pitcher-plant results ["Address to the department of botany and zoology", Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 102–16]?

Summary

Thiselton-Dyer’s appointment has come.

Wants to discuss insectivorous plants and get some experiments going.

Summary

His view of Huxley’s cutting Mivart without explanation. States his own intentions. Mivart’s apology in October Quarterly Review is abominable.

Has heard of a Drosophyllum in Edinburgh. Is it too late?

Summary

Sends plant specimens.

He and Thiselton-Dyer, working on with Nepenthes, have independently found the spiral vessels going to the gland. CD’s view that the glands are secretory organs is suggestive. When Nepenthes is as much done as CD wants,

he will turn to Cephalotus and Sarracenia.

Summary

Oliver will attend to his letter.

Tells of discovery and rediscovery of Aldrovanda.

Asks what CD thinks of "old Pritchard’s discourse" [C. Pritchard, Natural science and natural religion (1874)]. Does not affect evolution at all. It does affect the rather unprofitable doctrine of materialism.

His plans for the Royal Society Presidential Address.

Summary

On pitchers of Dischidia and insects found in them.

Summary

Describes work on Nepenthes – more difficult than Drosera.

Has written to Dublin for a Drosophyllum.

Summary

On plants CD requested.

Frank should work on Dischidia.

Work on palms.

Overloaded with reading.

Summary

Thomas Thomson has gone over Scott’s paper; encloses his conclusions. Not fit for publication in present form. His experiments should have been repeated to resolve his disagreement with Gärtner.

Summary

His appreciation of Insectivorous plants, especially Utricularia section.

Summary

Sends seeds from R. L. Playfair in Algiers.

F. Delpino writes asking where M. A. Curtis has published physiological observations on Dionaea ["Enumeration of plants growing spontaneously around Wilmington, North Carolina", Boston J. Nat. Hist. 1 (1834–7): 82–140; see Insectivorous plants, p. 301 n.].

Talk with Duke of Argyll on CD’s and Wallace’s views on man.

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

Thiselton-Dyer’s announcement of his inability to continue as JDH’s private secretary is a blow. He will now be doing original work. JDH is glad of that but the loss of his help is great.

Summary

Describes his experiments on Nepenthes; finds action analogous to that in Drosera.

Summary

Returns two volumes of Felix Holt [George Eliot (1866)]

and the Coddington [lens].

John Smith will send Drosera.

Nation reports that Louis Agassiz holds that the Amazon Valley was formed since the glacial epoch.

Summary

On Lyell’s death; JDH has arranged for burial in Westminster Abbey. His thoughts on a testimonial.

More trouble with Lord Henry Lennox.

Summary

Returns Asa Gray’s letter. Disappointed with Gray. Comments on America. British–American relations.