Requesting two books, Lafitau 1724 and Tanner 1830.

Thanks SN for his explanation of vines.

Discusses SN’s observation on roots secreting carbonic acid.

Agrees to write to William Ogle [about twins with crooked fingers].

Describes growth of sweetpeas for experiment.

Asks whether the twins WO reported to CD [see 5470] were named Macrae. F. Galton has told him of a similar case with twins so named who inherited crooked little fingers from the maternal side [see Variation, 2d ed., 2: 240]. [The twins referred to by WO were actually his sisters, see 10170.]

Encloses a photograph and [?].

Will propose GJR for membership in Linnean Society.

Discusses GJR’s grafting experiments.

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.

CD obliged about the Schrankia

and thanks WTT-D for details of last number of Gardeners’ Chronicle.

Thanks him for his kind review of Insectivorous plants in the Spectator. Disputes Tait’s report of a Nepenthes that trapped a fly but did not digest it.

Sends proofs of Variation [2d ed.] for FD to look over.

Sends his compliments and thanks [with payment of £13 to TWN for compiling catalogue of CD’s books].

Suggests WTT-D read account of Bignonia capreolata in forthcoming Climbing plants.

Plans experiments [on Melastomataceae]. Describes similar experiment performed on Monochaetum. Interested in meaning of differently coloured stamens.

Comments on review [of Insectivorous plants] in New York Independent.

Working on Cross and self-fertilisation.

Fears Variation [2d ed.] will not be ready for Murray’s annual sale unless printer sends proof more quickly. Arrangements with Italian publishers.

Comments on the sudden death of Chauncey Wright.

CD is circulating certificate proposing GJR for membership in Linnean Society.

Discusses hybrid potatoes from Germany.

R. L. Tait has requested CD send his [Tait’s] paper on Nepenthes to Royal Society. CD considers this a nuisance.

Certificate for G. J. Romanes.

Francis’ experiments on mechanism of twisted seeds.

Comments on difficulty of distinguishing between lower animal and vegetable organisms.