Urges CD not to break with Murray even if he does not force the editor [of Q. Rev.] to insert GHD’s letter [in response to Mivart’s attack]. Murray may have a rule not to meddle with editor.
Discusses flower structures of the hop.
Describe the Pinguicula species found at Mürren. Have found seeds on some. Their large roots seem to indicate that they do not get much animal food.
Approves of GHD’s letter [to Q. Rev. 137 (1874): 587–9] and his present plan, which removes all CD’s objections. Will make his own letter to Murray less imperious. "It will be a dreadful evil to me, if … we come to a quarrel."
CD has not received the proofs [of JT’s Belfast address to BAAS].
Wishes JT were through with Belfast [meeting of BAAS, 1874]. CD cannot imagine surviving such a week of excitement.
Asks JM, as a favour, to use his influence with the Editor of Quarterly Review to print George Darwin’s answer to the charge made by the author of "Primitive man" [St George Mivart] that GD approved "of the encouragement of vice to check population".
Returns proofs [of JT’s Belfast address, Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): lxvi–xcvii]. Gratified by what it says about his work and is anxious to read the whole address; it is a grand subject.
Acknowledges CD’s complaint against a paper [by St George Mivart] in the last Quarterly Review [see 9568]. Agrees to print George Darwin’s answer [see 9596].
The Club is proposing to celebrate Humboldt’s 105th birthday and would welcome a message from CD.
States his indebtedness to and admiration for Humboldt and his work.
Describes his work on Nepenthes.
Cephalotus is a beast.
His address is a history of Dionaea, Sarracenia, and Drosera.
Thiselton-Dyer has helped enormously except with the observations; but his health is so poor that JDH thinks he is "evidently cut out for a Literate not a working botanist".
The occurrence and prevention of scale in boilers.
Anxious to hear Murray’s reply [to CD’s letter 9598].
It is splendid how Nepenthes is behaving. Drosera and Dionaea are insignificant by comparison.
Takes rather a malicious pleasure in JDH’s failure with Cephalotus as a match to his with Utricularia.
Reports difficulties in experiments on digestion of fibro-cartilage. Asks about JSBS’s experiments with artificial digestive fluids.
JSBS must read Hooker’s address at Belfast [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 103–16] to see what a magnificent digester Nepenthes is.
Sends specimens of Pinguicula with insects adhering. [See Insectivorous plants, p. 369.]
Thanks EN for his book [Indian snakes, 2d ed. (1874)]. CD is pleased that it calls attention to gradation in the character of snake poison.
Reports on a crossbreed between a duck and a fowl, having duck’s beak, partly webbed feet, and fowl’s feathers.
Sends his observations on the method of fertilisation of Hedychium coronarium by Sphinx and other hawk-moths.
Lady Dorothy Nevill is CD’s best chance for Dionaea.
Reports on Belfast meeting of BAAS. Lubbock’s lecture went off admirably. Huxley’s was the magnum opus.
Encloses letter from Mrs Barber on protective coloration of animals.
Reports observations on a chicken with a human face.