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.