News of Great Western Railway dividend; discussion of Leonard Darwin’s ‘exciting news’.

Thanks CD for an article [unspecified].

CD and other friends who got up fund for GA in 1879 have now bought him a microscope; thanks CD, especially as the idea came from him; plans to take up original observations with it.

Mechanism of flowers of Maranta has already been described by F. H. G. Hildebrand and Federico Delpino.

According to John Gwyn Jeffreys’ book [British conchology (1862–9)] shell is Sphaerium corneum, a synonym of Cyclas cornea.

In a forthcoming lecture GCW will dispute Haeckel on Protista and his statement that spontaneous generation is necessary to complete evolution as a doctrine. Wishes to confirm his understanding that CD has nowhere expressed himself on the "origin of life", and has considered only the manner of succession.

Concern over CD’s health. Advises him to get one of the cleverer young London doctors to communicate with Andrew Clark. Only way out of difficulties with Clark.

Will send letter to Nature about shell [attached to beetle]. Will use old name of Cyclas.

Formal letter of thanks for contribution to Mrs C. T. Beke.

Believes heterostyly could be produced by artificial selection.

Feels better. Grateful for THH’s kind letter. Wishes there were more automata like him.

Thanks HG for kind offer. CD is not well enough to examine the Utricularia, but will try to look at the Nitella.

Recommends PG for chair of natural history.

GCW has correctly expressed CD’s views when he says he intentionally left the question of the origin of life uncanvassed as being altogether ultra vires in the present state of our knowledge. Thinks he may somewhere have said that principle of continuity renders it possible that the principle of life will be shown to be a part of, or consequence of, some general law.

Thinks Mr Loct[?] ought to have sent an addressed envelope.

"Earthworms are hermaphrodite, but two must unite & both produce eggs.–– I have seen hundreds coupled, early in the morning & occasionally during the night.––"

Sends manuscript by Baron de Villa Franca on the apparent grafting of sugar canes.

CD will be glad to keep the proof of the medal.

He is decidedly better again.

Requests snake poison for experiment.

Apologises for not having answered CD’s letters of 19 December [13564] and 4 January [13599] sooner.

Gives the results of his crossing experiments with Pontederia (Eichhornia) crassipes and P. azurea. Has also begun experiments on Heteranthera reniformis.

Thanks CD for sending three parts of the first volume of Bentham and Hooker’s Genera plantarum.