Summary

Had read Tyndall’s letter [Nature 8 (1873): 399] – awfully savage, but certainly a great mistake to print it.

Thinks JDH will think better of Clerk Maxwell’s paper after he reads it.

Asks whether JDH could find out for him the temperature of rain in very hot countries.

Summary

Insists that suckling babies pound and scratch mothers’ breasts. Perhaps CD’s evidence to the contrary comes from ladies, who only expose small portion of bosom, as opposed to working-class women.

Summary

Affected by THH’s letter – will send a copy to the other 17 friends. Hopes for his and public’s sake his health will improve.

Summary

Thanks JLGK for photos of natives of Queensland.

Asks if he can observe whether worms throw up castings in wet weather.

Summary

"It is a fearfully difficult moral problem about speaking out on religion, & I have never been able to make up my mind."

An Irishman, a "grand breeder" of short-horns, declared at lunch that CD’s books had been "a great help to [him] in breeding!"

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

Wants to borrow Duchartre’s Éléments de botanique [1867].

Summary

Sends plant specimens.

He and Thiselton-Dyer, working on with Nepenthes, have independently found the spiral vessels going to the gland. CD’s view that the glands are secretory organs is suggestive. When Nepenthes is as much done as CD wants,

he will turn to Cephalotus and Sarracenia.

Summary

Comments on HM’s book [Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)]. Particularly glad to read historical sketch and discussion of work of C. K. Sprengel.

Summary

Mimosa prostrata, described by John Lindley as M. marginata, native of Brazil.

Who supplies CD with distilled water and chemicals?

Summary

Sends, with CD’s approval, a clarification of CD’s explanation of how useless organs might diminish [see 9061]. Using Quetelet’s law of normal distribution GHD shows how horns of cattle, having become useless, would gradually diminish and finally disappear.

Summary

"As the disease hypermetropia is not very rare, & as it is known to be hereditary, I will not give the case (about which I was very doubtful) & am glad to decide in the negative".

Summary

Forwards photograph, sent by [J. L. G.] Krefft, of a chrysalis attached to its food-plant; the chrysalis has adjusted its colour remarkably.

Summary

Sends CD a draft of a letter to Nature [see 9087], which he thinks expresses CD’s meaning.

Summary

Gives a case of peculiar behaviour in cats that apparently is inherited.

Summary

Hopes JT does not think him over-cautious in requesting the return of the copies [of Huxley’s letter]. Has sent Huxley a list of the subscribers.

Summary

Lady Lyell’s death.

Sends names of donors of gift to THH.

The Edinburgh Review has a critical article against CD, THH, Tyndall, and H. Spencer [see 8935]. Thinks Forbes reference not worth answering.

Summary

Wants some plants for observation and for experimentation on their powers of movement.

Asks WTT-D to make observations on plants with sensitive stamens or pistil.

Summary

John Murray has announced his next book [Cross and self-fertilisation] without CD’s knowledge. It is only half-written. JVC will hear when it is published and will decide whether it is worth translating. It will be dry, but, CD believes, of value.

Has read an account of JVC’s Scottish lectures.

Invites JVC to Down.

Summary

JP’s note [8739] suggests reversion, but that is an easy trap. Will look to the ears of "our brethren at the Zool. Gardens".