Summary

Wishes to borrow third part of Fritz Müller’s article on sexual selection in butterflies [Kosmos 2 (1877–8): 218–24].

Is forwarding material on stridulation, including Prof. Wood-Mason’s paper ["Note on Mygale stridulans", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1877): 281–2], which should interest CD.

Summary

Is dispatching December number of Kosmos.

Will read the discussion on stridulation that RM mentioned.

Summary

Comments on discovery of micro-organisms in disease.

Describes experiments carried out by Francis Darwin on filaments of Dipsacus.

Summary

Sends cutting on origin of variety of merino sheep.

Would like references to works on breeding.

Summary

Discusses dates when he might meet the prince (Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria) in London, or perhaps the Prince might visit Down.

Summary

Cites language books; a comparison of them shows unity of language.

Summary

Asks about the composition of a spermaceti ointment which he has been buying for some years "because I blackened some young shoots of plants with this ointment mixed with Lamp-black & it produced an extraordinary effect on the shoots, which I think cannot be accounted for merely by the exclusion of light".

Summary

Constituents of spermaceti ointment supplied to CD. Perhaps effect was caused by substance used to bleach the bees-wax.

Summary

LD’s chemical analysis of lamp-black.

Summary

Has been testing lamp-black for ammonia.

Summary

Thinks there can be no objection to RM’s using a Fritz Müller letter [see 11319].

Summary

CD and son [Francis] working on spontaneous movements of plants and heliotropism.

Has given [Raphael Meldola] permission to read extracts of FM’s last letter [not found], on odours emitted by moths, before Entomological Society [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1878): ii–iii].

Summary

Encloses some notes on maize that may be useful.

Summary

Thanks AE for his book [Estudios sobre la flora y fauna de Venezuela (1877)].

Asks whether glaucous plants in Venezuela are more common in drier areas.

Summary

In London and wishes to meet JDH.

Summary

Invites CD to Kew.

Summary

He has obtained further evidence that rats gnaw through lead pipes for water. CD’s opinion that they hear trickling confirms his view that they possess reason.

Summary

Sends quotations on Dionaea and Sarracenia. [See Insectivorous plants, 2d ed., pp. 243, 366.]

Summary

Insectivorous plants.

Summary

A "dog fancier" and newspaper critic of dog shows, HD seeks CD’s opinion on the origin, cause, and use of "dew claws".