CD confesses his error with respect to the cause of the scarcity of holly berries. It appears that several causes in combination have led to it. CD still believes rarity of bees played a part, though a subordinate one.

CD has only a trifling point to make in criticism [of RLT’s excerpt from Diseases of women]: he believes "the high value of well-bred males is due to their transmitting their good qualities to a far greater number of offspring than can the female".

Thanks WTT-D for praise of Cross and self-fertilisation

and for information about Mussaenda.

Has some algae from Queensland if WTT-D is interested.

Thinks it would be a serious mistake for TB to give up his profession. How the Royal Society will distribute funds is as yet very uncertain, and CD feels that TB may well receive no support as his proposal is too theoretical.

Thanks JVC for errata [in Cross and self-fertilisation]

and especially for interesting and amusing notes on expression. Will use them if a new edition [of Expression] is needed, but Murray has printed too many copies of first edition.

Comments on WHL’s paper ["Pontederia cordata", Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 6 (1875–9): 62–3]. Cites Fritz Müller’s conclusion that plant is trimorphic. Has WHL made further observations?

Thanks AG for card about Pontederia.

Asks for specimens of Phlox subulata and Gilia aggregata to check for dimorphism.

CD notes growth of Royal Society may force it to hire officers.

Speculates on cold resistance of bacterial germs.

Will communicate to Royal Society Frank’s paper on the ingestion of solid particles by the protoplasmic protrusions of Dipsacus glands.

CD working on plant dimorphism.

Has signed certificates.

CD thinks A. Günther’s tortoises are relics of closely allied forms, once widely distributed. Expressed this view to AG a few months ago. Cannot explain their restriction to volcanic islands.

Thanks for a copy of PS’s Critica nella filosofia zoologica del XIX secolo: dialoghi di Pietro Siciliani … (Naples: Cav. Antonio Morano Editore, 1876).

Encloses £25 contribution.

Tells of his pleasure and surprise at reading JWJ’s article ["Darwin’s ""Geological observations"" ", Nature 15 (1877): 289–90].

Requests return of August Weismann’s letter which refers to eggs.

Curious about the drawing [of the caterpillar? See 10780].

Would like to see the photographs.

Was glad to read HNM’s paper on the New Zealand Peripatus.

Comments on TMR’s essay ["Geological time"].

It is monstrous that P. G. Tait should say that earth is less than ten million years old.

Sends enclosure regarding inherited handwriting from Life, letters, and journals of George Ticknor [ed. G. S. Hillard (1876)].

The extract from Ticknor [see 10722] is one of the most curious cases of inheritance CD has met with. He has sent it to Francis Galton as CD is not likely to write on inheritance again.

Expresses his gratitude for the gift [a birthday album from a number of Dutch scientists]; he cannot imagine a more honourable testimonial.

Regrets that F. Hilgendorf proved so greatly in error ["Planorbis Multiformis", Monatsber. K. Akad. Wiss. Berlin (1866): 474–504; "Noch einmal Planorbis Multiformis", Z. Dtsch. Geol. Ges. 29 (1877): 50–62].

Discusses polymorphic species.

Surprised that shell form developed from various different progenitors.

Reminds CD of C. Nägeli’s conclusions on Hieracium.

But still retains belief expressed in first edition of Origin that variation in protean species is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous.