JDH’s condolences at Amy Darwin’s death.

JDH again expresses his condolences.

The Glasgow BAAS meeting was good, except for Tait’s shameful attack on Tyndall.

Immensely impressed on Scottish geological and glacial features. Is CD aware that the earth beneath Glen Roy roads was found to contain freshwater diatoms?

Recounts the itinerary of his honeymoon in Scotland.

JDH back from his honeymoon.

Finds he has gout, as his father and grandfather had.

JDH looking for Hoya for CD.

Hookers tried to visit Down on foot, but weather was too inclement.

Notes on part of CD’s species sketch.

Will come to 7 Park St. on Wednesday for a palaver on distribution, species mutability, migration, etc.

JDH prepares Anniversary Address to the Royal Society [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. (1876): 339–62].

Return of Challenger.

He has examined Hoya flowers with Bentham and Oliver, but they are not satisfied about the five processes alternating with the sepals. [See Forms of flowers, pp. 331–2.] Sends specimens of plants.

Babington’s surprise at JDH’s advocacy of Darwinian views at Norwich [BAAS meeting].

Criticism of the behaviour of the trustees of the British Museum [in the Challenger affair].

Complains at Albert Günther’s imputations against Charles Wyville Thomson [as a result of the dispute between Thomson and the British Museum, regarding the disposal of the specimens from the Challenger].

Notes variation in style and stamen length in Forsythia.

JDH discusses his and others’ experiments on survival of seeds. Impressed with resistance of some seeds and rapid decomposition of others. He wonders about "vitality" in the abstract.

JDH recounts discussion at Royal Society over Günther’s paper on distribution and affinities of gigantic tortoises ["Description of the living and extinct races of gigantic land-tortoises, Parts III and IV", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 25 (1876–7): 506–7]. Huxley suggests they are Miocene relics.

Royal Society will publish Frank’s Dipsacus paper [but see 10971 and 11073].

Thiselton-Dyer will review Cross and self-fertilisation.

[Extract of letter to WJH from T. E. Cantor] on zoological distribution in the Malay Peninsula.

JDH reports on Frank’s reading of his Dipsacus paper at the Royal Society. Huxley slept through much of it, but JDH is well pleased with it.

Oliver cannot, as CD has requested, hunt for trimorphic flowers in the Herbarium’s collection of Oxalis specimens. He would help Frank if he comes.

JDH’s aunt cannot find lodgings for CD.

Similarities between floras of Tierra del Fuego, Van Diemen’s Land, and New Zealand; does not feel migration sufficient explanation.

JDH’s view of Thiselton-Dyer’s engagement to his daughter, Harriet.

JDH is pleased to help with "bloom" questions.

Responding to CD’s request for assistance with his study of "bloom", JDH sends seeds, a list of available plants, and a list of English wild plants with "bloom".

JDH has to entertain the Emperor of Brazil [Pedro II], who wants to meet CD.

JDH finds the Emperor, once an energetic man, all used up.