Summary

Summarises a letter from Fritz Müller [missing] giving details of leaf movement in Mucuna, Desmodium, and Bauhinia. CD is especially interested in the paraheliotropic movements, which appear to be as common as sleep movements.

Summary

Wants Monochaetum flowers for examination as he has forgotten the structure and cannot publish until he has repeated his observations and experiments.

Summary

Asks whether blue eyes are peculiar to the human species.

Summary

Thanks for Monochaetum flowers; his old notes have now become intelligible.

Summary

CD is familiar with EJL’s work [on Asplenium movements]; finds Asplenium an unusual case.

Summary

Swedish anti-vivisectionists are claiming CD is opposed to animal experiments; Holmgren wishes CD to state his position.

Summary

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

Summary

Sends GdeS and A. F. Marion, L’évolution du règne végétal. Les cryptogames [1881].

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

CD gives his opinion on vivisection with the understanding that the whole letter will be published. Worked for Act of Parliament, but disapproves of the one passed. CD convinced English physiologists do not perform cruel experiments.

Summary

Sends his last report on Russian wheat varieties [Gard. Chron. n.s. 15 (1881): 430–2].

Considers which part of grass embryo is the cotyledon.

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

Suggests that the pappus of Compositae, when lying on ground, may absorb water which may function in seed germination.

Summary

Sends pamphlet showing that magnetism is the fundamental element by which all is created and maintained.

Summary

Obliged for extract from Gardeners’ Chronicle about Russian wheat. "It is a capital instance of one var. gradually beating out another."

Cannot remember where he put G. Henslow’s note [on the cotyledon of grass embryos].

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

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

Discusses GJR’s experiments on heliotropism in plants; views of Philippe van Tieghem and Julius von Wiesner. Describes his own experiments.

Mentions his letter on vivisection [to Frithiof Holmgren, see 13115] in the Times [18 Apr 1881].

Summary

Announces CD’s election as an Honorary Corresponding Member of the Club.

Summary

Sends "Ginger Beer Plant", a seed that assists the fermentation of ginger beer. [Also enclosed are instructions for making ginger beer dated, presumably erroneously, 18 Oct 1881.]