Summary

Regrets he cannot accept dinner invitation.

Summary

Admires Wallace’s Island life.

Criticises: 1. His view of similar plants on distant mountains – CD prefers previous low-land connections to Wallace’s summit–summit dispersal;

2. Source of warmth for ancient Arctic climate;

3. Origin of S. Australian flora.

CD’s favourite cases in Movement in plants.

Summary

Praises FMB’s BAAS address [on embryology, Rep. BAAS 50 (1880): 636–44]. Recent progress of embryology splendid.

In work on plants, astonished at sensitivity of radicle and its power to transmit stimuli to adjoining part; such general sensitivity should be considered in genesis of nervous system.

Feels "malicious" pleasure at FMB’s criticism of Herbert Spencer.

Summary

Thanks for seeds of Cobaea;

was much interested in AE’s article ["On the fertilisation of Cobaea penduliflora", Nature 22 (1880): 148–9] opposing G. E. M. Bonnier’s view ["Les nectaires", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 6th ser. 8 (1879): 6–212].

Case of Lisianthus is an excellent one of structure and movement of parts adapted to cross-fertilisation.

Asks whether worm-castings are found in the area.

Summary

Obliged for paper ["Oceans and continents" (1880)].

Agrees that John Murray’s view [of coral reefs] is far-fetched.

Summary

Thanks for essay.

Summary

CD advises EK on his proposed letter answering Butler.

Considering the favourable reviews, sale of Erasmus Darwin has been poor.

Summary

Requests a list of books.

Summary

Glad to receive the German edition of Erasmus Darwin. Hopes sales will be good. Favourable review has appeared in the United States, in the Nation.

Summary

Glad ASW has solved puzzle of outer seeds.

Quite agrees about great improbability of sudden transformations.

Asks for copy of report from Gardeners’ Chronicle [see 12404].

Summary

SB has decided to lay the matter [the subject of 12393 and 12396] before the public and has written to the Athenæum stating the facts. [Athenæum 31 Jan 1880.]

Summary

Comments on her new book [Life and her children (1880)]. "… you have treated evolution with much dexterity and truthfulness".

Summary

Regrets delay of photographs [for German edition of Erasmus Darwin].

Summary

Sends his paper ["Oceans and continents", Geol. Mag. 7 (1880): 385–91].

Thinks John Murray of Edinburgh goes out of his way to deny an elevation/subsidence view of coral reefs ["On the structure and origin of coral reefs and islands", Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh 10 (1878–80): 505–18].

Summary

Writes of the weather,

his reading of Huxley’s Crayfish [1880],

and domestic matters.

Summary

Asks whether CD will forward enclosed to Lord Derby, and offers to send him a copy of the New York state survey. Will go to Beaulieu in the early autumn. Tells story about gallenes raised by hens being attacked.

Summary

Matters related to Climbing plants

and reprint [1880] of Forms of flowers.

Summary

Insists that EK take the profits from the English edition of Erasmus Darwin. EK’s essay is the valuable part of the book; CD’s is mainly gossip.

Summary

Will send copy of Movement in plants.

Encloses copies of articles [unspecified].

Summary

Glad GHD goes on with ripple-marks; if he makes out a theory of ripples, they might give important information about the most ancient deposits.

CD has been wonderfully glorified in the Times [review of Movement in plants, 20 Nov 1880].