Summary

Thanks for letter relating to domesticated bullfinches’ instinctively cutting off cowslips [see 9430]. Suggests observing whether the birds swallow any part of flower or particular parts.

Summary

Requests litmus paper and gum.

Summary

Agrees to delay sending the fluid [from the glands of Drosera] until early October. Will try suggestion about pepsin. [See 8981.]

Summary

Thanks EF for his offer of assistance. Could the viscid secretions [in glands of Drosera] contain pepsin? Will the sodium carbonate render the testing of organic matter difficult? [See 8979.] Will send the fluid in a fortnight.

Summary

Requests chemical analysis of sample of both natural and burnt soil.

Summary

Apologises for his ignorance in interpreting the results secured in his testing with blue litmus paper.

Summary

Thanks for the sewage water and the oleic acid. The former does not seem to act.

Summary

Requests a piece of the most sensitive litmus paper in order to test the secretions of minute hairs of plants which catch minute flies. [See 9098.]

Summary

Thanks for the Blue Book [Report to the Local Government Board on the water supplied to London].

Gives instructions for sending the pure water.

Has sent for the Wenham ice.

Enjoyed his talk with EF.

Summary

Fears that the promised bottle of pure water may have been despatched or stolen in passage. [See 11768a.]

Summary

CD has just had an interview with Edward Frankland, who "almost laughs" at FD’s idea of getting potash and soda out of the soil by treating it with sulphuric acid. Asks FD to send him a soil sample to give to Frankland. Sends enclosures giving address and labels for soil samples.

Summary

Asks about constituents of burnt soil.

Summary

Variation in bullfinches’ instinctive ability to remove nectaries and ovaries from cowslips.

Summary

Thanks for the pure phosphate of lime.

Summary

Acknowledges the information about the phosphate and about putrefaction. Regrets that there is no knowledge of the conjectured substance. [See 9671.]

Summary

Thanks her for specimen of Drosera. Asks for an epiphytic Utricularia.

Summary

Sends sodium carbonate for Drosera experiments. Will try to determine what the solvent is.

Summary

Sends analysis of burnt and unburnt samples.

Summary

Suggests experiments on artificial digestion.

Summary

Will follow EF’s suggestions as to securing purity of fibrin.