Summary

Hooker, just returned from U. S., says Pinus nordmanniana leaves are spread horizontally in the morning and rise during the day.

Summary

Thanks CD for present of £300.

Summary

Speculates that the function of "bloom" is to prevent evaporation.

Raised CD’s question about the geographical distribution of glaucous plants at recent botanical meeting.

Summary

Thanks CD for acknowledging receipt of JDC’s book The antelope and deer of America [1877].

Castration suppresses deer antlers.

Summary

Sends article and photograph of abnormally hairy family.

Mentions death of his student, Rudolf von Willemoes-Suhm.

Summary

CD has made clear that in Cross and self-fertilisation he had not intended to suggest that autogamie (fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen) is superior to gitonogamie (fertilisation of a flower by one on the same plant).

Summary

Asks whether CD considers it possible that a mollusc could poison anyone on contact, as RD has heard from missionaries about a certain South Sea variety.

Summary

Pleased CD is satisfied with translation of Cross and self-fertilisation.

Sends £20 royalties for Insectivorous plants (700 sold).

Summary

Gives a possible explanation of exceptions to CD’s observation [Descent, ch. 7] that characters correlated with one sex tend to appear late in life.

Summary

Sends notes on expression [missing].

Summary

JDH has just returned from U. S., where he worked on N. American geographical distribution with Asa Gray.

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

Would like to see the Kosmos article.

Is considering producing a translation of August Weismann’s essays.

Comments on Wallace’s paper on the colours of animals and plants [Macmillan’s Magazine 36 (1877): 384–408, 464–71].

Summary

JBI reports that the editor of Journal of Horticulture has identified the tree at Loch Carron as Sambucus racemosa, red-berried elder.

Summary

Loss of water from leaf surfaces; action of a still air layer.

Proposal for CD’s LL.D.

Summary

Sends plant specimens for CD’s examination for genetic affinity with Drosera rotundifolia

Summary

Accepts CD’s offer to send numbers of Kosmos.

WEG thinks the evidence from Homer’s text is conclusive that his "discrimination of colour was as defective as his sense of form and of motion was exact and lively".

Summary

Sends seeds of plants for CD to elucidate floral anatomy.

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.

Summary

Asks for key and letter to be sent to him at the New University Club in London.