Encloses a letter [from Fritz Müller, see 11839] which "eminently deserves to be published in Nature". Discusses the form and illustration needed. Spelling problems to be referred to Robert McLachlan.

Has sent FM’s letter on caddis-fly to Nature ["On a frog and caddis-flies", Nature 19 (1879): 462–4].

Thanks LAE for publication [Errera and G. Gevaert, Sur la structure et les modes de fécondation des fleurs, 1ère partie (1878)].

Discusses ASW’s discovery of error in Russian belief about wheat varieties. Suggests that he publish paper in Journal of Royal Agricultural Society. [Results actually published in Gard. Chron. n.s. 11 (1879): 622–4.]

CD and his brother Erasmus have read EK’s article on Erasmus Darwin. Asks whether EK would object to a translation by W. Dallas, to be offered to Fortnightly Review or to be published at CD’s expense as a book.

Thanks for second edition of Duchartre.

Asks whether WSD would be interested in translating Ernst Krause’s article on Erasmus Darwin [Kosmos 4 (1879): 397–424] into English.

Asks RMcL to correct the proper names in enclosed proof of a letter from Fritz Müller to be published in Nature. CD has no book with names of Trichoptera. [See 11930.]

Comments on book by LAE and Gustave Gevaert [see 11916].

Thanks for seeds and for kindness to Frank Darwin.

Pleased to hear that EK agrees to CD’s request to have article on Erasmus Darwin translated. Will wait for EK’s enlargement. Has decided submission to Fortnightly Review would be useless.

Warns against Anna Seward’s biography of Dr Darwin.

Remembers that BWR had planned to write a life of Erasmus Darwin. Ernst Krause now intends to enlarge his Erasmus Darwin; would welcome any information or material.

Frank’s reasons for not accepting the Cambridge Examinership.

Acknowledges the diploma [of the Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Argentina].

Sends his photograph and a copy of Origin.

Sends copy of a lecture [by John Dowson, see 11949] published in 1861.

Has not yet found a copy of Anna Seward’s biography for EK. It is a wretched, inaccurate book. To contradict Anna Seward’s version, CD intends to write a short preface to the translation of EK’s essay. Doubts that it will be worth translating into German.

Comments on a letter from Fritz Müller [11839] and particularly on the subject of the disappearance of certain structures in organisms. FM’s explanation deserves serious consideration.

CD agrees to subscribe to reprint of Blyth’s Field articles on cranes.

Describes plans to publish English edition of Krause’s work on Erasmus Darwin.

Will correct Anna Seward’s calumnies [in Memoirs of the life of Dr Darwin (1804)].

Asks about family letters.

Doubts some stories about Erasmus Darwin [in Christiana C. Hankin, ed., Life of Mary Anne Schimmelpenninck (1858)].

Seeks clarification of statements on sleep movements on p. 29 of WFPP’s work [Die periodischen Bewegungen der Blattorgane (1875)].

Can CMCD provide a photograph of Elston, the birthplace of Erasmus Darwin, with permission to have it reproduced in Erasmus Darwin.