Summary

Reports de Bary’s opinion of Max Cornu. Accounts of various botanical experiments and observations.

Summary

Wishes to correct impression of his attitude towards CD’s contribution: CD has successfully explained how differences arise.

Pleased CD will read his book [Tertiary species of Planorbis at Steinheim (1880)].

Summary

Earthworm book with printer.

Has sent FM’s observations on paraheliotropism to Nature ["Movement of leaves", Collected papers 2: 228–9].

Plants with differently coloured anthers.

Intends gathering together his notes on "bloom".

Summary

Is mapping coral distribution on the Tortugas reef. His observations on the Florida peninsula suggest that it was built up from the debris of animal remains and was not elevated.

Summary

Thanks him for magnificent work on Pycnogonida [The zoology of the voyage of H. M. S. Challenger, vol. 3, part 10 (1881)].

Is delighted that he is undertaking the Cirripedia [1883–4].

Summary

Waxy secretion or "bloom" on leaves.

FM’s article on Crotalaria.

Summary

Discusses concept of intelligence in his Earthworms manuscript.

Remarks on GJR’s work on echinoderms.

Comments on Wilhelm Roux [Der Kampf der Theile im Organismus (1881)].

Discusses animal instincts, citing Fabre’s description of sand-wasps.

Summary

Has sent copies [of Earthworms] to Annals & Magazine of Natural History and to Popular Science Review. If W. S. Dallas edits both, he will have two copies.

Summary

Thanks HdS for pebbles of Roman bricks. When he goes over MS [Earthworms] again, he will compare smoother ones with those having undergone attrition in gizzards of worms.

Has received book [La question du lac] sent by HdS.

Also sends photograph taken by Leonard Darwin of CD.

Requests photograph of HdS to add to his collection.

Summary

Thanks JVC for corrections of Movement in plants. Sends a clarifying sentence.

Earthworms nearly done – "a small book of little moment".

Reports his health is better than it was, "but I have little strength & feel very old".

Summary

Sends notes of reports by E. A. Axon, George Ticknor, and Joseph Alley to Académie des Sciences on deaf mutes.

Summary

Outlines address to York BAAS meeting on history of geographical distribution. Organising theme: advancement in this science based on ideas enunciated by scientific voyagers. Asks CD’s advice.

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

On the action of ammonium carbonate on plant cells. "Aggregation" of protoplasm.

Summary

Explains he was not a member of the congress [7th International Medical Conference, August 1881], and hence it would be inappropriate to introduce his likeness into the correspondent’s composition.

Summary

Looks forward to reading CD’s Earthworms.

Agrees that habits of sand-wasp are determined by natural selection.

Experiment of exposing plants to flashing light gives uncertain result.

Summary

Describes variability in the stamens and pollen of Lagerstroemia, which CD spoke of in Forms of flowers.

Also reports on similar phenomena in Pontederiacea (Heteranthera reniformis).

Has received from Paul Mayer an interesting paper on metamorphosis in Palaemonetes varians, which is also being studied by J. E. V. Boas in Denmark. Shows differences between larval development in Danish forms and those found in southern Italy.

Summary

Gives an account of the Syracuse Botanical Club and its activities.

Summary

Comments on CVR’s paper [‘Further notes on the pollination of Yucca and on Pronuba and Prodoxus’, Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. (1880): 617–39]. ‘What an inaccurate man Mr Thomas Meehan is.’ Interested in further observations on Pronuba.

Summary

Thanks CD for his letter of 21 June [13212].

Is sending seeds of Oxalis sepium, which came from a cross between a plant with long pistils and another with pistils intermediate in length. Perhaps some of the plants that come from them will have short pistils.

FM does not know who told Dr B [Wilhelm Breitenbach] that he had lost a whole library in the flood. In fact, he lost only a few books that he had left behind thinking they were safe where they were.

Has taken the opportunity of a recent cold spell to test CD’s views on nyctitropism [night movements] in plants. Describes Pandanus and Oxalis sepium.

Has just received CD’s letter of 4 July and he is glad that his observations on the effects of rain on plants interested CD.