Yellow and purple flowers occur on plant grafted with Cytisus purpureus, but only on separate racemes. Only yellow blooms seed.

Asks CD to write short article on breeds and breeding for new edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Huxley has suggested natural history topics to be covered, and recommended CD.

Thanks for copy of CD’s latest work [Insectivorous plants].

Professional sheep-breeder interested in laws of inheritance reports his crosses between Serinus hortulanus and Dryospiza canaria. Seeks to make a new species. Crosses carried out with animals varying in their proportion of Serinus and Dryospiza parentage. Confirms Prosper Lucas’ law as given in Origin, ch. 9, with exception that strong individuals exhibit prepotency.

Sends CD some of the Cytisus, which has produced yellow flowers on a purple graft.

Asks CD’s opinion of an experiment on Drosera.

WTT-D and E. R. Lankester wish to visit CD.

Has corrected some references for new edition of Variation.

Fairy-rings grow because the fungal spawn radiates outwards then dies off at the centre as it becomes exhausted. The verdure of the grass depends upon the decay of the fungus supplying nitrogenous manure. Rings are formed mainly in upland pastures poor in nitrogenous matter. Gives examples of woodland fungi that form rings.

JJW is to think no more about mistake [regarding Cytisus graft].

Has read Insectivorous plants and is to review it for the Spectator.

Thanks for Insectivorous plants.

First proof of errata slip for inclusion in Insectivorous plants 2d thousand.

Wants to study hereditary mental characters to see whether they are limited by sex – an idea CD holds provisionally and which she doubts. She sends a questionnaire form that she asks CD to criticise. Has read Francis Galton [Hereditary genius (1869)].

Thanks CD for Insectivorous plants.

Is coming to London and hopes to visit Down.

Thanks AWB for review in Nature [probably review of Insectivorous plants, 12 (1875): 206–9, 228–31].

Sends a note on the ferment of the Nepenthes secretion, which he asks CD to forward to Nature if he thinks it worth while [see "Insectivorous plants", Nature 12 (1875): 251–2].

CD returns MS of a paper by RLT. "If you have succeeded in separating the ferment, the fact is manifestly important." Asks whether RLT tested the digestive ability of fluid from pitchers without animal matter. This would be necessary to prove that there was ferment in the fluid. CD is glad to hear about the [passage?] for guiding insects; he had guessed this to be the case.

CD has been elected an Honorary Member of the Akademie.

Acknowledges his election to the Akademie.

Response to Insectivorous plants. Surprised that CD did not discuss origin of the contrivances. Critics will interpret them as inexplicable by theory of natural selection.