Sorry he was out when CD called.

Observations on insectivorous plants.

His brother Cecil is reading Coral reefs, and, as his business involves the Keeling Islands and Torres Straits, he offers to make any observations CD might want.

Thanks for congratulations on his coming birthday. Has nothing special to say as a preface to S[erbian] edition [of Origin (1878)], except to hope it is in every way successful.

Sends curious, coloured pea seeds.

Regrets that GJR was passed over for membership in Royal Society. Discusses criteria applied by Council.

Sends CD Dr Wood’s lecture on insectivorous plants.

Had no intention of antagonising CD with his observations on Linum; was anxious to account for its apparently different behaviour.

Thanks WCM for plant.

Mentions "your new room" at Down.

Discusses various authors’ interpretations of the structure of the embryo of grasses.

Discusses the structure of grass embryos; states differing theories regarding which part of the seed corresponds to the cotyledon.

Forwards an unspecified work for FD to read.

Sends letter and seeds from [F. J. Cohn].

Is working too hard.

Good article by Fritz Müller in Kosmos supporting August Weismann’s views on caterpillars.

Pleased EH is translating Forms of flowers. Agrees "cowslip" and "oxlip" ought to be translated by their scientific names.

Regrets he was not at home when HDG called.

HDG’s observations on the evolution of the human ear are well worth consideration.

Thanks HM for his review [of Forms of flowers, Kosmos 2 (1877–8): 286].

Thinks HM’s previous article was very important [Kosmos 2 (1877–8): 128–40]. CD will "heartily rejoice" if HM has explained the steps by which Rhamnus and Valeriana have been rendered dioecious.

Wishes to borrow third part of Fritz Müller’s article on sexual selection in butterflies [Kosmos 2 (1877–8): 218–24].

Is forwarding material on stridulation, including Prof. Wood-Mason’s paper ["Note on Mygale stridulans", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1877): 281–2], which should interest CD.

Thanks correspondent for note and specimen; they will be of use in new edition of Forms of flowers.

Is dispatching December number of Kosmos.

Will read the discussion on stridulation that RM mentioned.

Comments on discovery of micro-organisms in disease.

Describes experiments carried out by Francis Darwin on filaments of Dipsacus.