On reading Descent was reminded of having seen, on a visit to an idiot asylum with her father [J. S. Henslow], a woman with long pointed ears.

F. C. Donders coming to congress. Wants to arrange visit.

Mentions work he did in the Sandwich Islands. Asks to visit and bring shells.

Arranges to bring F. C. Donders to visit Down.

Thanks CD for Expression, comments on it.

Describes celebration of F. C. Donders’ 25th year as professor at Utrecht.

Discusses hereditary character of hypermetropia. Notes views of F. C. Donders on the subject.

Will subscribe £25 towards F. A. Dohrn’s Zoological Station at Naples.

Discusses abnormal pig’s foot sent to him by CD.

Young Belgian students [L. A. Errera and Gustave Gevaert] ask CD to read their paper, which summarises Cross and self-fertilisation. They criticise CD’s views on the comparative effects of crossing flowers on the same stem and fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen ["Sur la structure et les modes de fécondation des fleurs", Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. 17 (1878): 38–181, 182–248].

Sending MS.

Used Anton Kerner’s nomenclature for designating crosses.

Thanks CD for Forms of flowers.

CD has made clear that in Cross and self-fertilisation he had not intended to suggest that autogamie (fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen) is superior to gitonogamie (fertilisation of a flower by one on the same plant).

Bones in goose’s wing perfectly normal. Malformation probably due to want of balance in muscles; analogous to club-foot. Injury of the parent not reproduced in offspring, but may have led to disturbance in functions of nerves which control muscles. Would like further study.

Explains difficulties in supplying wings of geese. Describes injury of old gander that sired the abnormal geese.

Regrets not seeing CD.

Congratulates CD on election to French Academy.

Describes findings of examination of geese with abnormal wings. Says old gander that sired geese is without injury or abnormality. Encloses his assistant’s report.

Sends his photograph as requested.