Summary

F. M. Balfour is in Naples. Comments on rate at which sea eats back the land, as given in early editions of Origin.

Summary

The Royal Society have returned RLT’s Nepenthes paper and will not have it read because of unfavourable reports from referees.

Summary

Encloses a statement and circular he has been asked to send to JL.

Summary

Has written to Lord Derby about the vivisection issue and urged him to speak to the proper members of the Cabinet to prevent "hasty legislation versus science". CD offered to send the sketch of the bill that has been drafted or a small deputation to wait on any member of the Cabinet. Lubbock does not think the petition should be presented as he feels sure that nothing will be done this session.

Summary

About Francis Darwin’s application for election to [Royal] Society.

Summary

His note on brain [in man and apes for 2d ed. of Descent] nearly finished.

Has heard nothing about Dohrn.

THH has been invited to lecture in America.

Summary

Thanks for agreeing to propose Frank as F.R.S.

Would have enjoyed discussing Island life.

Summary

Has written to J. Murray to have account of the Zoological Station inserted in the Murray guidebook.

The circular about the Station has been printed; some have already signed.

Received R. Kossman’s paper on Anelasma ["Untersuchungen über die durch Parasitismus hervorgerufenen Umbildungen in der Familie der Pedunculata", Verh. Phys.-med. Ges. Würz. N. F. 5 (1874): 129–57]. The case is the most interesting ever recorded of gradation, i.e., from an animal with a stomach to one with roots like a plant.

Delighted he will examine the complemental males of Scalpellum.

Summary

Sends synopsis of his paper "On diversity of evolution" [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 11 (1873): 496–505] in which he attempts to show some of the means, other than natural selection, of modification of species.

Summary

THH sends to AD a draft, prepared by himself and CD, of a statement for a subscription fund to assist AD’s Naples Zoological Station.

Summary

Lists his chief publications and suggests names of biologists in the Royal Society whom CD might ask to sign his nomination certificate.

Summary

CD sends the gist of an extremely negative report from the [Royal Society’s] physiological referee on the value of RLT’s modifications of Brücke’s process for isolating pepsin [see 10470].

Summary

The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".

The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.

Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.

Summary

Asks for THH’s description of brain and skull [of man and apes] for 2d ed. of Descent [supplement to ch. 7].

Asks about Dohrn affair and contributions for Naples station. Doubts subscriptions will be successful.

Summary

CD is glad to propose FMB for Royal Society. Explains information and certificates needed.

Summary

Sorry he forgot the gardener’s address. Having a very nice time in Cambridge, and is almost finished the bramble paper. Drawing room is upside down, so living in Horace’s working room and dining room. Greek question was lost in the Senate House. George dined there last night. Too muddy to bicycle. Has some stuff for spectacles.

Summary

Proofs have come. It will be jolly coming down to Southampton.

Summary

JDH has heard from Asa Gray, who approves of the botany primer [Botany (1876)].

Summary

Suggests JSBS’s new machine for observing arterial action be used to test CD’s hypothesis that blushing is caused by thinking intensely about a part of the body and thus releasing the arteries.

Summary

The laboratory has scarcely any experimental evidence on acidity of humus soil and earthworm excreta. Refers CD to some sources of information.