Explains why he cannot sign Miss Cobbe’s anti-vivisection petition.

Explains more fully why CD cannot sign Miss Cobbe’ anti-vivisection petition.

Is on the eve of another row with the Office of Works about his application for assistance.

Would like to see papers [on potato grafting] mentioned by CD.

CD has doubtless seen case in Gardeners’ Chronicle of vine in which scion has affected the stock [P. Grieve, "Singular sport upon a grape vine", Gard. Chron. (1875): 21].

Is alarmed by the petitions against vivisection that are being circulated. Believes there is scope for reasonable legislation and would like to see eminent physiologists prepare a petition so that the science could be protected and animals saved from needless suffering.

Hopes JDH will beat Sir Douglas Galton.

Continues to work on insectivorous plants.

Wants references to facts quoted in Variation for an essay he is writing on origin of British cattle.

Can give no more information about white and dark cattle than William Youatt gave in his book on cattle (Youatt 1834).

JDH wins over Douglas Galton and Lord Henry Lennox on assistant secretary for himself.

Has called on Murray and told him Quarterly Review had disgraced itself by attacking George and CD.

Astonished at JDH’s success versus Galton

and his attack on Murray is superb. Has written a formal letter to Mivart enumerating his offences.

Sends a letter from Anton Dohrn, which, if CD approves, will be printed with a list of all donors to the Naples Zoological Station. AGD-S has just returned from a visit to the Station and gives an account of its status. German government has made a grant.

Agrees with CD on vivisection. Will communicate with Burdon Sanderson and see what can be done.

Mivart’s wriggle.

Thanks GB for his "Report on [the recent progress and present state of] systematic botany" [Rep. BAAS (1874): 27–54] and for the way in which he refers to CD’s book.

Discusses subscriptions for the Naples Zoological Station.

Thanks for note and extract.

Will be glad to read AH’s memoir when published [? "The Jurassic and Cretaceous Ammonites collected in South America by Prof. James Orton" Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. [Proc Mem Jnl!?] 17 (1875): 365–72].

Recalls AH’s visit to Down.

Writes on behalf of Royal Society Polar Committee for suggestions concerning instructions to naturalists on new expedition.

Thanks Council for their kindness; even if he had known that the right to reprint papers was a recognised one he would have asked the Council’s consent [before reprinting Climbing plants?].

Thanks for two German letters about translations, which he has answered. The enclosed one contains a proposal for CD’s correspondent to bring out a translation of a very successful German book, and must be answered by the correspondent.

Turns down an offer to undertake a German translation of one of his works.

CD expresses his high opinion of BGW’s papers. Thinks one on brains of dogs particularly valuable ["Anatomical papers on brain of dogs", Rep. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. (1874)].