Cobra poison is a stimulant to protoplasm. Poison acts very differently on cilia and protoplasm of Drosera.

Asks WED to visit Winchester soon and collect Utricularia for him

Describes leaf movements of Pinguicula and Drosera in capturing prey. Notes effects of ammonium carbonate on leaves.

Thinks Frank and he have worked out Pinguicula well and they long to attack Utricularia. Tried several plants with sticky glandular hairs; some few absorb ammonia, but the greater number do not. If JDH sends plant or seed of Lychnis CD will examine it to see whether it catches many flies. Asa Gray has written him much about Sarracenia, with a specimen showing the splendid dodge by which ground insects are enticed up and then drowned. Describes how it may be investigated, to see whether it absorbs decayed matter from flies, or ammonia thus generated.

Has read THF’s article on Coronilla [see 9400] – "a very curious case"; is troubled by C. emerus.

Suggests experiment involving cobra poison on white corpuscles. Thanks for offer of Crotalus poison.

It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.

Asks about the effect of atropine on the eye. Is interested in parallel case: influence of phosphate of ammonia on glands of Drosera.

Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.

Advises JVC on how his publisher might deal with problem of getting satisfactory heliotype copies for 2d [German] edition of Expression.

Regrets that he will again be away in August, when JVC might have come for a visit.

Thanks for Drosophyllum. No longer needs Utricularia.

Discusses specimens of Utricularia.

Mentions JR’s work on desmids [The British Desmidieae [Desmidiae!?] (1848)].

Suggests experiments to try [with Nepenthes]. Asks JDH to test whether cabbage seeds and peas exposed to the ferment germinate.

Discusses effect of atropine solution on eye,

and effect of phosphate of ammonia solution on gland of Drosera.

Would like to see work by T. W. Engelmann and possibly one by Dr De Ruyter.

The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".

The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.

Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.

Thanks GJR for his letter, regrets pressure of other work prevents his giving GJR’s remarks the attention they deserve. GJR makes clearer how an organ that has started to decrease will go on decreasing.

"It is grand about Nepenthes."

JDH is welcome to notice in any way any of CD’s published or unpublished results with insectivorous plants. Gives an abstract of his observations on Drosera.

Asks for the specific gravity of common phosphate of ammonia.

JDH should do as he likes with insectivorous plant materials.

He has always thought telling JDH what he has been doing was as good as publishing.

Cephalotus seems as horrid a puzzle as Utricularia.

Nepenthes will turn out a great job if the pitchers of different species act differently. JDH’s paper on Nepenthes [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 102–16] is too long for CD’s book. Well deserves a place in Philosophical Transactions.

Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.