Summary

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

Summary

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

Summary

CD is going away and has asked FD to thank GJR for his amusing letter [of 6 June], which CD thinks should be published in Nature. CD thinks the guinea pig theory very probable.

CD thinks there may be something in the ‘veneration’ theory.

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

Proposes to construct an aquarium on Jersey and wants to use CD’s name in support of the project.

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

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

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

Has received CD’s book [Forms of flowers]; thanks him for the compliment of the dedication.

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

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

Summary

Thanks for account of his work. Cannot read Dutch, but son has translated it.

Thanks for album sent by PH’s countrymen.

Summary

Thanks CD for new [2d] edition of Orchids.

Mentions some observations on dimorphic plants.

Reports on a third species of Pontederia [see Forms of flowers, p. 185].

Describes some unusual grasses.

Reports rumours from southern Brazil concerning the existence of a gigantic subterranean animal.

Summary

Requests duplicates of [H. M. S.] Challenger Pycnogonidae.

Summary

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

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 details of H. H. R. Koch’s work on bacteria, including first photographs.

J. S. Burdon Sanderson’s and Koch’s collaboration on systemic fever.

Thinks movement of Francis Darwin’s Dipsacus filaments is an artifact.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s comments on ["Evolution of nerves"]. Admits that he may have "been too keen in my scent after nerves".

Notes effect of reversing direction of current in muscular tissue.

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

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.