Reports seeing flowers of wild cherry bitten off in same manner as primroses [see 9418 and 9444]. In this case it was done by a squirrel, though birds also bite the flowers of the cherry-tree.
CD forwards letter from F. J. Cohn [11093] that provides confirmation of observations by Francis Darwin on the contractile filaments protruded from the glands of Dipsacus.
Sends letter from Fritz Müller [11191] containing observations on plants and insects of South Brazil, with prefatory comments.
CD’s letter on wide distribution of freshwater plants and animals introduces a letter to him from Arthur H. Gray [see 11497].
Comments on a letter from Fritz Müller [11839] and particularly on the subject of the disappearance of certain structures in organisms. FM’s explanation deserves serious consideration.
Reports information sent by E. Schulte [12254] on the colours of the male Diadema bolina.
Discusses extent to which consciousness came into play in the origin of certain instincts, including sexual display.
CD has repeated a test of whether hybrids of the common and Chinese goose are fertile inter se. Reports his success, and comments on its significance for the theory of descent.
Forwards a letter from E. S. Morse on Omori shell mounds refuting F. V. Dickins’ review [Nature 21 (1880): 350] of Morse’s memoir ["The shell mounds of Omori", Mem. Sci. Dep. Univ. Tokyo 1 (1879) pt 1].
Sir Wyville Thomson misunderstands natural selection when he says the theory "refers the evolution of species to extreme variation guided only by natural selection". CD demurs at the "extreme variation" and the "only". No one has said evolution depends only on natural selection. CD has adduced many facts on the effects of use and disuse and on the direct action of the environment.
Quotes an extract from a letter from Mr Sanderson of Chislehurst on the disappearance of black or spotted sheep from Australian flocks when the coloured sheep ceased to be of use to man.
Summarises the "remarkable facts about the movements of plants" in Fritz Müller’s letter of January [12996]. CD comments that Müller’s observations support the conclusion that he and Francis Darwin arrived at – that leaves go to sleep to escape the full effects of radiation.
Summarises a letter from Fritz Müller [missing] giving details of leaf movement in Mucuna, Desmodium, and Bauhinia. CD is especially interested in the paraheliotropic movements, which appear to be as common as sleep movements.
Communicates two cases of inheritance reported by J. P. Bishop [in 13137]. The work of E. Brown-Séquard has demonstrated that effects of injuries can be inherited ["Hereditary transmission of an epileptiform affection accidentally produced", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 10 (1860): 297–8]. E. Dupuy has sent CD a still more remarkable case.
Quotes from a Fritz Müller letter of 9 Aug supporting CD’s views that leaves position themselves at night so as to minimise heat loss by radiation. It is a new fact to CD that leaves take different positions at different seasons.
Summarises letter of William Nation [13350]. The facts given strongly support the conclusion that there is some close connection between the parasitic habits of birds that lay their eggs in others’ nests and the fact of their laying eggs at "considerable intervals of time".
Comments on A. W. Bennett’s letter [Nature 1 (1869): 58] on fertilisation of winter-flowering plants. CD used net, not a bell-glass to cover Lamium.
Refers to F. Delpino’s observations on fertilisation of grasses; CD is glad to say these observations are compatible with "the very general law that distinct individual plants must be occasionally crossed".
Replies to Francis Galton’s paper on tranfusing blood between rabbits to test Pangenesis [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–40]. FG’s conclusion that his experiments prove Pangenesis to be false is "a little hasty", since CD had never maintained that gemmules in the blood formed any part of his hypothesis.
Refers H. H. Howorth, the writer of "A new view of Darwinism" [Nature 4 (1871): 161–2], to Variation for a discussion of fertility and sterility of organisms in relation to increased food and other factors.
Replies to C. R. Bree’s letter of 27 July [Nature 6 (1872): 260] contending that CD was wrong about early pedigree of man.
Defends the statement of CD’s view in Wallace’s review [Nature 6 (1872): 237–9] of Bree’s book [Exposition of fallacies … of Darwin (1872)].
Sends a letter from William Huggins about a case of inherited fright in three generations of mastiffs. Discusses the different origins of instincts and their inheritance.