CD has only a trifling point to make in criticism [of RLT’s excerpt from Diseases of women]: he believes "the high value of well-bred males is due to their transmitting their good qualities to a far greater number of offspring than can the female".

Thanks for new edition of Orchids.

The remarkable papers of Mott on Ernst Haeckel ["On Haeckel’s history of creation", Proc. Lit. & Philos. Soc. Liverpool 31 (1876–7): 41–89].

The part played by carbon in geological changes.

TB is seeking a Government grant through the Royal Society so that he can give up his business and pursue his work on the glacial period; wants CD to support him with a note to Hooker.

Thinks it would be a serious mistake for TB to give up his profession. How the Royal Society will distribute funds is as yet very uncertain, and CD feels that TB may well receive no support as his proposal is too theoretical.

Praise for Cross and self-fertilisation: most important point proved is benefit of crossing between related individuals grown under different conditions. This explains adaptive value of dispersal mechanisms.

JDH discusses his and others’ experiments on survival of seeds. Impressed with resistance of some seeds and rapid decomposition of others. He wonders about "vitality" in the abstract.

Has observed the scarcity of humble-bees and subsequently of holly berries this year. But does not think humble-bees ever visit holly flowers, however plentiful they may be.

Thanks for CD’s frank criticism of his views.

Hooker advises him to apply for aid to work out glaciation between Pyrenees and Alps.

Lists misprints in Cross and self-fertilisation.

Sends observations and references relevant to a new edition of Expression.

Suggests CD write to Mr Fisher, a nurseryman, on his experiments with crossing varieties of holly.

Requests permission to use illustrations from F. Müller’s Facts and arguments for Darwin in the new edition [of his Habit and intelligence, 2d ed. (1879)].

CD notes growth of Royal Society may force it to hire officers.

Speculates on cold resistance of bacterial germs.

Will communicate to Royal Society Frank’s paper on the ingestion of solid particles by the protoplasmic protrusions of Dipsacus glands.

CD working on plant dimorphism.

Thanks CD for calling attention to a "considerable error" in his observations on Hottonia fertility [in Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)]. [See Forms of flowers, p. 52.]

Sends his papers [unspecified].

Linnaeus was a "Darwinist" because he placed the simians in the genus Homo.

On Royal Society Council’s deliberations on awards. GJA argues that older men should be given first claim lest they die neglected; CD had stressed importance of encouraging younger men.

Carlyle hoped CD had not been annoyed by that forged letter, which was the reverse of his opinion. [Enclosed is a published extract, said to be taken from a Thomas Carlyle letter, which denies CD’s intellect and regrets his influence.]

JDH recounts discussion at Royal Society over Günther’s paper on distribution and affinities of gigantic tortoises ["Description of the living and extinct races of gigantic land-tortoises, Parts III and IV", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 25 (1876–7): 506–7]. Huxley suggests they are Miocene relics.

Royal Society will publish Frank’s Dipsacus paper [but see 10971 and 11073].

Thiselton-Dyer will review Cross and self-fertilisation.

CD thinks A. Günther’s tortoises are relics of closely allied forms, once widely distributed. Expressed this view to AG a few months ago. Cannot explain their restriction to volcanic islands.

He has defended Tyndall, CD, and others against attacks of a clergyman.

Sends CD parts of the Annales [Soc. Bot. Lyon] in response to his request for a particular article.

States that, despite CD’s work, he does not believe that any plants, including insectivorous ones, can utilise organic material, and that they live solely on mineral elements in the soil and air.