Summary

Daisies.

A tame rabbit with a litter of 18.

Summary

Gives details of some crossing experiments with Eschscholzia.

Describes the grass Streptochaeta, which FM believes to be a primitive grass.

Relates some observations on maize that are well explained by Pangenesis.

Summary

No paradox that unimportant characters are important systematically. This view removes heavy burden from CD’s shoulders. Relief that JDH does not object.

Summary

Wants observations on a Papilio to see whether ticking noise is confined to one sex.

Experiments on self-sterility.

Will send copy of his orchid paper ["Fertilisation of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Eschscholzia when self-fertilised, produced pods.

Summary

Receiving notes on inbreeding from T. T. Wright, who has long experience with the subject.

Reports six-toed pup.

Summary

Thanks AdeC for his interesting letter [6915]. The experiment strikes CD as a very valuable one. CD has forwarded the letter to Hooker, who is glad to make the trial. CD will have many experiments in progress next spring but he will open the packet of seeds and if they are numerous, will try a few himself.

Summary

List giving the numbers of Lepidoptera of different species reared in 1869 and the proportions of the sexes [see Descent 1: 313].

Summary

Provides further detail on his smooth-leaved holly tree with a spiny-leaved branch; his gardener asserts no budding or grafting has taken place.

Summary

On proportion of sexes in litters of dogs.

Summary

He has gone through the whole embryology of the Crustacea and has arrived at a pretty well-established genealogy of the whole class; has even tried to write a history of the whole tribe. Finds he cannot adopt the old separation of Orders in the Class; the limits between them are indistinct.

Would like to study embryology of Limulus. Asks CD’s help in obtaining a female specimen.

Outlines his proposal to establish a marine zoological station.