Thanks EH for book on ornithology of South Africa and for his essays [Beiträge zur Ornithologie Südafrikas von Aug. von Holub und E. Pelzeln (1882)].

Will be pleased to see him when he comes to England.

The editor of North American Review asks CD to write an article in support of systematic observations of mental development in infants.

Exchanges news on health.

Thanks AR for his worm observations.

George Darwin’s work is attracting attention; he intends to try for Plumian Professorship at Cambridge. Adds other news of George and of CD’s sons Leonard and William.

CD has finished his microscopic work and has only to write up two papers for the Linnean Society.

CD will put together his notes on the action of carbonate of ammonia on roots in a few days. Asks SHV to send any information he may have, but not to answer if he has none. [See 13666.]

Thanks for writing. Had disbelieved the story. He has seen Dr Hahn’s slides and it is clear that Hahn cannot distinguish between mineral and organic structures.

Agrees to propose RM for the Royal Society.

No summary available.

Can he improve his oat crop by growing home-grown and purchased cereals together?

Offers CD gift of slab with fossil annelid tracks.

Does CD know geologist who might give lecture in Dudley?

Thanks for agreeing to propose him for the Royal Society.

On aggregation of protoplasm in root cells.

Is preparing new edition of Sachs [Text-book of botany, morphological and physical, ed. S. H. Vines, 2d ed. (1882)].

No summary available.

Asks about significance of trilobites for evolution.

Asks if any organism can be designated as animal in one stage and vegetable in another.

Thanks for offer of sandstone with annelid tracks.

Suggests J. W. Judd, "most able of living geologists", as lecturer.

Asks EF to sign enclosed certificate if he thinks Raphael Meldola deserves being elected F.R.S. [See 13674.] Requests that his note with certificate be passed on to Norman Lockyer.

Does not feel that the occurrence of perfect trilobites in the oldest known fossil-bearing rocks is fatal to evolution, as he does not believe these rocks to be contemporaneous with the first appearance of life.

Locomotive spores of some algae are like animals.

Writes about WED’s purchasing a house.

Birthday congratulations from the Naples Zoological Station. A new physiological department will be constructed. Describes work in progress at the Station.

Sends his paper on teleosteans.

Heard R. Owen read a paper at York [meeting of BAAS]. Owen had views similar to AD’s, but seemed not to be aware of work of others.

Will not support Raphael Meldola’s application to the Royal Society.

Orders International scientific directory.