Summary

Orders a copy of the St Paul’s Magazine for February.

Summary

Will see whether formic acid delays germination of fresh seeds.

Thinks primer not at all a folly. Refers JDH to Asa Gray’s "child’s book" [see 8363].

Summary

Praises TWH’s Army life in a black regiment [1870]. CD always thought well of Negroes, and is delighted to have his impressions confirmed.

Summary

CD answers a question about the attitude of foreign naturalists towards Darwinism by distinguishing between the belief in evolution and belief in natural selection. Gives the views of [Louis] Agassiz, [R. A.] Kölliker, [C. W.] Nägeli, [Ernst] Häckel, [C. F. W.] Claus, [F. J.] Cohn, Alphonse de Candolle, [J. L.] Claparède, Asa Gray, Gaston de Saporta, [E. D.] Cope, and [Carl] Gegenbaur.

Summary

Hopes JC-B thinks that CD has properly acknowledged his debt in Expression.

Summary

Thanks for HR’s valuable remarks about Expression, and returns HRs copy, signed.

Discusses some of HR’s anecdotes about children sucking their tongues.

Admits that the youth who trembled so that he could not reload his gun after killing his first snipe was himself, when a school-boy.

Summary

Pleased that JC-B will review Expression.

Fears he will not be able to improve the book with JC-B’s "wonderfully curious" photographs because Murray printed such a large edition.

Would be glad to have JC-B’s notes on inheritance – "a most important subject".

Summary

Distressed by the poor health of GHD and Horace. Asks them to come home.

Summary

Much obliged for seeds. Will expose seeds to chemical vapours.

Comments on JTM’s spider experiments.

Summary

Astonished by Agassiz’s argument; has sent AG’s memorandum to Nature [see 8786].

Is working on cross- and self-fertilising plants and has temporarily stopped work on Drosera.

Summary

Is glad and proud to honour the memory of Adam Sedgwick [d. 1873].

Summary

Sorry that his health prevents him attending a meeting to honour Adam Sedgwick.

Summary

CD has discovered correspondent intends to present a petition to the House of Commons on which CD’s is the sole signature. Asks that his name be erased unless other signatures are added.

Summary

Does not understand TM’s views on sex and vitality.

Agrees no real "essences" in genera, only broken groups of species.

Summary

Thanks WP for his accounts of sagacity of dogs. "I can believe almost anything about them."

Summary

Responds to AN’s observations on sense of smell in cats and dogs.

Summary

Sends £10 subscription for James Murie.

Summary

Thanks RM for note on ocelli.

Summary

Thanks for Indian [Medical] Gazette. Comments on article.

Summary

Reports that he has not received JSBS’s book on histology and physiology [Sanderson ed., Handbook for the physiological laboratory (1873)], which Edward Emmanuel Klein told CD’s son was to be sent. He asks for information so that he may thank Dr Klein. [Klein and Michael Foster were co-authors with JSBS.]

He has returned the Gazette to Dr T. L. Brunton. [See 8825.]