Hermaphrodite trees are enough to "knock" CD down. Can JDH observe Eucalyptus to see whether pollen and stigma mature at same time?

JDH’s facts showing European plants are more common in southern Australia than in South America are disturbing because they are improbable on CD’s views of migration.

JDH said he would give examples of Australian forms that have migrated north along the mountains of the Malay Archipelago.

Replies at length to JDH’s worried reaction to his comments on lowness of Australian plants. CD distinguishes between "competitive highness", i.e., which fauna would be exterminated and which survive if two faunas were placed in competition, and ordinary "highness" of classification.

Argument, based on geographical distribution and competition, for a mundane glacial period rather than cooling of one longitudinal belt at a time.

Pleased with news of BAAS meeting

and Scott’s possible position as Thomas Anderson’s curator.

Suggests Wallace is due for a Royal Medal.

Agrees with JDH’s criticism of Lyell’s address [see 4614].

Bentham’s Linnean Society address treats continuity of life in a vague non-natural sense.

Rereading his old MS [Natural selection] CD is impressed with work he had already done.

Writing Variation much harder than Climbing plants.

Encloses request to JDH to propose, or suggest on his behalf, that the Ray Society publish a translation of C. F. von Gärtner’s Versuche und Beobachtungen über die Bastarderzeugung im Pflanzenreich (1849).

A son [George Howard Darwin] was born on Wednesday.

Sends queries on Galapagos flora.

Discusses JDH’s comments on [Journal of researches].

CD feels that with his views on descent "really Nat. Hist. becomes a sublimely grand result-giving subject".

"How differently people view the same subject, for I look at insular Floras … as leading to an opposite view to yours."

Mourns death of Lyell. Wonders whether enough men of science were attached to him to raise a fitting testimonial.

Thiselton-Dyer’s appointment has come.

Wants to discuss insectivorous plants and get some experiments going.

His appreciation of Insectivorous plants, especially Utricularia section.

JDH will arrive by train on Saturday.

Will be delayed on Saturday because of unveiling of a monument to Sir J. Franklin at Westminster Abbey.

JDH reports his battle with Lord Henry Lennox over whether to locate new Herbarium on the Queen’s or public part of Garden.

JDH shares CD’s annoyance with R. L. Tait.

Has identified awned carpels for CD.

Sports of Paritium.

Suggests extending Francis’ experiments with glycerine on twisted seeds, to Mimosa.

Gives directions for growing plants he has sent and corrects CD’s taxonomy.

Comments on Hermann Müller’s article on the structure of Gunnera flowers.

JDH concerned about preparations for [his address at] Royal Society [anniversary] meeting [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. (1876): 72–94].

JDH has heard from Asa Gray, who approves of the botany primer [Botany (1876)].

E. R. Lankester is in danger of being black-balled for admission to the Linnean Society; Thiselton-Dyer is in the midst of the fight.

Thanks for reading paper. Accepts CD’s criticisms; discussion of some points.

Asks CD to come up to vote for Lankester.

Severely critical of R. L. Tait’s paper on Nepenthes communicated to the Royal Society.

Requests CD’s evaluation of the work of the entomologist Robert McLachlan, who is up for F.R.S. in competition with the physiologist A. H. Garrod.