Summary

A cheque written out for FD has never been presented to CD’s bankers.

Summary

Sends a cheque to clear FD’s debts. Hopes he will be more careful in the future.

Summary

Asks FD to check whether a Latin sentence is correct.

Summary

Sends a cheque to pay off FD’s debts. Warns him of the dangers of overspending his income and advises him strongly to keep accounts.

Summary

Responds to Mivart’s Genesis of species. "I complain of his incessently speaking as if I trusted exclusively to natural selection … Mivart speaks in many places as if I entirely ignored the direct action of external conditions". Answers some of Mivart’s particular criticisms. Suggests FD read the letter to Marlborough Robert Pryor, as Pryor will never be able to read it himself.

Summary

Says Descent is "selling like Mad.––" Murray will print another 1500 or 2000 copies. Has received £630 for the 2500.

On Monday he visited Mivart, who is a charming man.

He seemed to be taken aback by CD’s points about the larynx and giraffe.

[See 7507 and 7519.]

He seemed to have forgotten CD’s argument regarding the formation of the greyhound.

Discussed the larynx and the silence of the Cetaceans.

If FD mentions any of this to [Marlborough Robert] Pryor, ask him not to mention it to anyone else "as it is perhaps rather a breach of confidence to repeat even to friends private conversation."

Summary

If FD gets the chance, will he observe whether the platysma contracts in a shivering fit? Wants much to know whether the platysma of frightened patients contracts before chloroform is given.

Summary

Please thank Mr Jackson for facts about shrugging, but case not distinct enough. Gestures associated with laughter. Platysma.

Summary

George [Darwin] plans a trip to America and would like FD to go [see 7757]. CD will gladly pay whole cost if the trip will not interfere with FD’s medical work.

Summary

CD will pay for the American trip if it takes place.

Asks whether FD can help him understand the eyes of cephalopods; is the structure the same as in the Vertebrata and are the parts developed from homologous layers of skin?

Has been pleased by a recent review.

Postscript: Is thinking of a cheap edition of the Origin [1872] in which he hopes to answer St George Mivart’s criticisms.

Asks FD whether he can get some references to good papers on cephalapod eyes.

Summary

Thanks for FD’s help. CD cannot conceive what Mivart means by "the identity between eyes of Cephalopods and Vertebrata".

Has invited Michael Foster to Down.

Summary

Asks who Fiske is. The articles [Harvard lectures?] are "so fair and in some respects so complimentary" that CD thinks he should write to him. [See 8058.]

Summary

Asks FD questions about his sketch [missing] of ridges and furrows. [FD’s answers are interlined.]

Summary

Will FD try to persuade A. D. Bartlett to show a live snake to a porcupine and observe whether the porcupine rattles the quills on its tail? [See 8333.]

Summary

Sends to Pantlludw [North Wales] bottle of formic acid. FD and Amy [Darwin] can search for spawn. If found, keep in two basins and add 6 drops of acid to one and look for differences.

Summary

"Try only 1 or 2 drops of Formic A[cid]."

Summary

Fears all the seeds are dead. Will try with less vapour of formic acid.

Summary

Observations on bees’ biting holes in Lathyrus.

Suggests an experiment FD could carry out with Drosera.

CD is working on Mimosa, and "everything has turned out as perversely as possible".

Summary

Pollination and floral structure of Lathyrus. Asks where bees bite through the flowers.