Thanks CD for Forms of flowers. Comments on the chapter on cleistogamic flowers; offers some corrections.

EK may publish a translation [of "Sketch of an infant"] if he wishes, but CD hardly thinks it deserves the honour.

Glad to hear that Kosmos succeeds fairly well; has found several articles interesting.

Thanks GB for corrections to chapter on cleistogamic flowers [Forms of flowers].

Asks for his opinion on "bloom"-producing plants in different climates.

Discusses an experiment.

His dogs appear to have rabies.

Thanks for Forms of flowers.

Alexander Dickson would like to know whether anyone has described the epidermal cells lining the pitcher of Cephalotus.

Answers CD’s query on "bloom".

Thanks for offprints [of "Sketch of an infant", Collected papers 2: 191–200]. Several Germans have asked permission to translate it.

Sends work on dorsal eyes of Onchidium ["Über Schneckenaugen", Arch. Mikrosk. Anat. 14 (1877): 118–24]. Comments on work.

Thanks CD for permission to print ["Sketch of an infant"] in Kosmos.

Discusses children’s ability to distinguish colours.

Describes disagreements among German supporters of CD. Discusses reaction of German protestants to Darwinism.

"Frank and I are working very hard on ""bloom"" and sleep" [movements]. Asks for succulent species for experiment.

Thanks RABL for his book on crocodiles [Fossile Crocodiliden (1877)].

Is forwarding several plants requested by CD.

Thanks for CGS’s work [“Über Schneckenaugen” (1877)].

Thanks him for various plants sent for experiments.

Frank [Darwin] has been feeding Drosera meat to study differences between fed and unfed plants.

Has sent Mimosa. The horticultural and physiological Mimosa is M. albida, which has a western distribution, rather than M. sensitiva as it is commonly called in error.

Queries about cauliflowers.

With 88 others signs a letter supporting the representation of natives in the legislative assembly of the Union of South Africa.

Writes as a trustee of the Down Friendly Society. Hopes the Society will soon be permitted to distribute its surplus funds, as there is agitation to dissolve the club and divide its assets.

Describes experiments on sensitivity of plant leaves to water.

Frank [Darwin] has found that Drosera leaves fed with meat contain more starch.

Thanks CD for Forms of flowers.

Further objections to "voluntary" sexual selection. Believes that he can explain all the phenomena of sexual ornaments and colours by laws of development aided by simple natural selection.

Excited by Thomas Belt’s "oceanic glacier river-damming" hypothesis. The last paper, "Glacial period in the Southern Hemisphere" in the Quarterly Journal of Science is particularly fine.