Summary

Sends letter from Fritz Müller [11191] containing observations on plants and insects of South Brazil, with prefatory comments.

Summary

Darwin consents to his correspondence with Pieter Harting being published in Nature.

Summary

CD forwards letter from F. J. Cohn [11093] that provides confirmation of observations by Francis Darwin on the contractile filaments protruded from the glands of Dipsacus.

Summary

CD regrets not being able to see JDH.

Summary

Tells of his pleasure and surprise at reading JWJ’s article ["Darwin’s ""Geological observations"" ", Nature 15 (1877): 289–90].

Summary

Sends specimens.

Sensitive plants.

Summary

Thanks for letter. Values CD’s opinion more than that of anybody else.

Perfectly astonished at reception CD got among popular audiences at GJR’s lectures.

Summary

Glad to hear of Ernst Haeckel’s reception in Vienna.

R. Virchow’s address ["Liberty of science", Nature 17 (1877–8): 72–4, 92–4, 111–13] very arrogant.

Sorry to hear of death of Arthur Lane.

Summary

Accepts CD’s offer to publish his letter, confirming Francis Darwin’s observations [see Collected papers 2: 205–7].

H. Hoffmann’s observations on Amanita contractile filaments must be repeated.

Microscopic examination of secretory gland filaments in Dipsacus leafcups. FD’s pseudopod theory of Dipsacus.

Summary

Pleased and honoured by WTT-D’s review ["Darwin on fertilisation", Nature 15 (1876–77): 329–32]. Comments on review.

Summary

Discusses plants to be sent to Kew.

Thanks for letter about Trifolium

and for R. I. Lynch’s observations on sleep of Erythrina.

Mentions letter from F. J. Cohn, dealing with discovery by Francis Darwin, that CD has had printed in Nature ["The contractile filaments of the teasel", Nature 16 (1877): 339; Collected papers 2: 205–7].

Summary

Doubts that glands of calyx of cleistogamic Malpighiaceae serve as protection.

Some species of Solanum bear long- and short-styled flowers on same plant.

Changing colours of some flowers may show insects the proper moment for fertilisation.

Doubts that the style of Pontederia cordata changes length.

Sexual difference in wings of some butterflies due to development in male of scales that emit odours to excite female.

Summary

Sends his paper on Selliera fertilisation [Trans. & Proc. N. Z. Inst. 9 (1876): 542–5]; contrasts it to CD’s description of Leschenaultia [Collected papers 2: 162–5].

Describes the irritability of Glossostigma elatinoides which he concludes is a mechanism to ensure cross-fertilisation.

Summary

Edwin Ray Lankester wants to reprint FD’s paper ‘Food bodies’ in the Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science.

Summary

A curious error – too late to change: in Cross and self-fertilisation CD has "cleistogenous" for "cleistogamous" flowers throughout.

Summary

Discusses effects of natural selection. Discusses absence of blending between geographical races as a problem. Discusses effect of natural selection on productivity of an organism.

Comments on GJR’s review of Grant Allen’s book [Physiological aesthetics (1877)].

Summary

Comments on GJR’s papers in Nature [see 11103].

Mentions manuscript by Miss Lawless on fertilisation in plants.

Discusses work of Francis Darwin on Dipsacus

and his own experiments on Drosera.

Summary

Believes in differentiated nerve-tracts [in Medusa] because of experiment in which contractile waves blocked. [See GJR’s "Evolution of nerves", Nature 16 (1877): 231–3, 269–71, 289–93.] Did not know author of MS was Miss Lawless. Describes experiment on contractile waves in Aurelia. Also studying starfish.

Summary

Sends birthday wishes.

Comments on progress of CD’s theory in Germany. Mentions opposition of Rudolf Virchow and his reply Freie Wissenschaft und freie Lehre [1878].

Describes research trip to Brittany and Normandy.

Research on Challenger Radiolaria.

Summary

Discusses Francis Darwin’s paper on teasel [Dipsacus].

Comments on GJR’s investigation of spiritualism.

Comments on book by Grant Allen [Physiological aesthetics (1877)].

Invites him to visit