Asks whether CD has observed that bees limit their visits to a single kind of flower on each journey from the hive, as Aristotle has said they do. What advantage would such a limitation be to the insects?
Encloses a photograph and [?].
Will propose GJR for membership in Linnean Society.
Discusses GJR’s grafting experiments.
Sends a lecture CD wished to see
and corrects himself about the twins.
Thinks JGFR should send report of coloured spots on infants’ buttocks to some ethnological society.
Thanks FG for issues of Revue [Scientifique vol. 7, containing lectures by Claude Bernard].
Ogle says twins [with crooked fingers] are his sisters.
Recommends book by M. A. Puvis [De la dégénération des variétés de végétaux (1837)].
From Galton’s "twin study" he suspects that some progenitor of WO’s had the peculiarities in question.
Has collected cases of signs of assent for a revised edition of Expression.
Suggests bees visit same species because they know how far to insert proboscis and thus save time.
Sends CD the 2d part of his travels into the Tien-shan mountains [Erforschung des Thian-Schan Gebirgs-Systems (1875)].
Has written a paper on the ranges and systematics of wild sheep and on modifications probably resulting from competition with domestic sheep, which he wishes to translate into English and would like to see appended to Variation.
Discusses sexual selection in thrushes; it apparently modifies one species into another.
Reports on Schrankia aculeata in which pinna and pinnule are sensitive, but, unlike Mimosa pudica, rachis does not move.
Comments on Insectivorous plants.
Describes his own work on fossil flora of Eastern Siberia.
Discusses genus Ginkgo.
Sends specimens of grafted potatoes. Describes grafting experiments designed to prove possibility of graft-hybrids, and thus, Pangenesis.
CD obliged about the Schrankia
and thanks WTT-D for details of last number of Gardeners’ Chronicle.
Working on plant physiology; has not strength to discuss difficult subject with anyone.
Hopes to meet Dresser and his guest, N. A. Severtsov, on returning to Down.
Asks FD to make out [Hermann] Hoffmann’s conclusions about the fertilisation of Phaseolus multiflorus [in Untersuchungen zur Bestimmung des Werthes von Species und Varietät (1869)].
No summary available.
JDH informs Asa Gray that he has just visited his friend from Nepal, Brian Houghton Hodgson & also his sister in law Mrs Barnard. William Turner Thiselton-Dyer has been organising books & manuscripts at RBG Kew. JDH thanks Gray for his criticisms on GENERA PLANTARUM, specifically mentioning his own & [George] Bentham's work on Vaccinieae & Orabancheae incl Hypopithys, various Andromeda species, oxycoccos & whether Gaylussacia is a natural genus. Asks for Gray to clarify his stance on whether Orobanche should be made a separate order or part of Ericaceae. JDH has been assured by Bureau & Decaisne that there is no Pleuricospora in Borgeau's Mexican collection. Agrees that Gray, not Lindley, should have been acknowledged under Diapensiaceae, though it is a weak order that JDH considered putting into Ericaceae. JDH does not agree with Gray's desire to be acknowledged under Galax. JDH, Thiselton-Dyer, Oliver & Baker were all unaware of Gray's conspectus of Mertensia & JDH complains that he cannot be expected to keep up with all of Gray's extensive work. Thanks Gray for seeds of Arctostaphylos bicolor. Hopes Jackson & plant case have arrived. Harriet [Hooker later Thiselton-Dyer, Hooker's daughter] & co will return from Boulogne the following week. Harriet is generally a good housekeeper but as she is pretty she is asked out a lot & is 'too lazy to take the lead as head of the house' JDH is kept very busy with family matters & is glad to have the help of Mrs Turner & a cousin who will recommence their stay with the Hooker's once returned from Boulogne.
No summary available.
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