Wants to study hereditary mental characters to see whether they are limited by sex – an idea CD holds provisionally and which she doubts. She sends a questionnaire form that she asks CD to criticise. Has read Francis Galton [Hereditary genius (1869)].

Reports the possible extinction of the Macartney Rose.

Thanks AWB for review in Nature [probably review of Insectivorous plants, 12 (1875): 206–9, 228–31].

Asks about FH’s research on maize. Suggests experiments.

Thanks for KLR’s latest work (Rütimeyer 1875).

Is obliged to be given a second and improved edition of GKMvS’s excellent lectures.

Informs RLT of J. D. Hooker’s work on Nepenthes ["Nepenthaceae, Cytinaceae", in Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis by A. P. de Candolle (1873), 17: 90–116].

Has asked JDH to try secretions of pitchers that had caught no insects.

Sends photographs.

Compliments JNH on the instructive tone of his sermon [‘Hospital Sunday’ preached in Chapel Royal, Dublin, 15 Nov 1874].

Comments on GJR’s experiments.

Thanks for explanation. Will follow RBL’s instructions.

Sends a note on the ferment of the Nepenthes secretion, which he asks CD to forward to Nature if he thinks it worth while [see "Insectivorous plants", Nature 12 (1875): 251–2].

Errata slip forInsectivorous plants

CD has been elected an Honorary Member of the Akademie.

Looks forward to reading CD’s statements about reflex action in Insectivorous plants.

Has prepared paper ["Physiology of the nervous system of Medusae", Rep. BAAS (1876): 158–63] in which he insists on occurrence of reflex action in absence of nerves. Would like to cite CD’s authority for occurrence of reflex action in plants.

CD returns MS of a paper by RLT. "If you have succeeded in separating the ferment, the fact is manifestly important." Asks whether RLT tested the digestive ability of fluid from pitchers without animal matter. This would be necessary to prove that there was ferment in the fluid. CD is glad to hear about the [passage?] for guiding insects; he had guessed this to be the case.

Acknowledges his election to the Akademie.

Insectivorous plants: observations on the digestive fluid of Nepenthes.

Reproduction of plant by "parthenogenesis".

Would be obliged for correction of references in Variation [1st ed.].

Response to Insectivorous plants. Surprised that CD did not discuss origin of the contrivances. Critics will interpret them as inexplicable by theory of natural selection.