Sends a query he would like GHD to put to Clerk Maxwell: why does a sponged leaf dry more rapidly, although sponging cannot remove the waxy bloom from the minute pores through which it is secreted?

Is very glad to hear about tides in the earth.

Hooker, just returned from U. S., says Pinus nordmanniana leaves are spread horizontally in the morning and rise during the day.

Has read WEG’s article ["The colour sense", Nineteenth Century 2 (1877): 366–88] on H. Magnus’ view. Informs him of a criticism of this view and reply by Magnus in Kosmos. Offers to send the article.

CD has contributed some facts on the difficulty children have in distinguishing colours (or naming them correctly).

Hive-bees captured in tubes of nectary of Tritoma. Seems a maladaptation of the bees.

Encloses his marriage present, which he fears Sara [Darwin née Sedgwick] will think "atrociously unsentimental", but he hopes useful.

Approves terms used in LAE’s manuscript. Discusses relative advantages of self-fertilisation and cross-fertilisation.

Thanks LAE for pointing out erratum [in Cross and self-fertilisation].

Is glad to hear R. B. Litchfield is better.

Discusses William Darwin’s engagement to Sara Sedgwick.

CD’s opinion of a specimen sent by JBI from an unknown tree, and the Ross-shire tale about it.

Thanks CD for present of £300.

About 150 copies remain of Forms of flowers.

Wants seed with large cotyledons to test for sensitivity and movement.

Gives permission to translate Expression.

Speculates that the function of "bloom" is to prevent evaporation.

Raised CD’s question about the geographical distribution of glaucous plants at recent botanical meeting.

Thanks CD for acknowledging receipt of JDC’s book The antelope and deer of America [1877].

Castration suppresses deer antlers.

Sends article and photograph of abnormally hairy family.

Mentions death of his student, Rudolf von Willemoes-Suhm.

AdeC’s two letters on bloom will be very useful; his remarks on evaporation and absorption seem very just. CD has made few experiments as yet. The investigation has been tedious and difficult.

Thanks for information, which will be useful if CD ever brings out a corrected edition of his book [Forms of flowers].

CD has made clear that in Cross and self-fertilisation he had not intended to suggest that autogamie (fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen) is superior to gitonogamie (fertilisation of a flower by one on the same plant).

Movements in cotyledons; outlines tracing technique. [A tracing of movements of red cabbage cotyledon enclosed.]

Thanks GdeS for communicating his discovery. It is especially important at a time when several naturalists have declared that development occurs quite suddenly at intervals. Joseph Le Conte in N. America urges that even new families and orders are developed within an extremely short period.