Encloses Fritz Müller letter, which may be of interest [see 11463].

RM should take no more trouble over the subject [Otto Zacharias’ photos; see 11510].

Is glad RM will draw up a paper from Fritz Müller’s letter.

Has received interesting essay from August Weismann on sexual selection in daphnoids [“Schmuckfarben der Daphnoiden”, Z. Wiss. Zool. (1878)].

Does not think the Petunia is anything remarkable.

Will do his best to provide preface for Weismann’s Studien [see Collected papers 2: 280–1].

Invites RM to luncheon.

Regrets he cannot compare his work with Weismann’s in his preface as he feels “an author is never a fit judge of his own work”. [Appended note explains that RM wished CD’s work to be fully acknowledged, which was frequently not the case in continental writings.]

Is glad book progresses; answers translation query.

Francis Darwin does not have time to lecture.

Sends the Fritz Müller article from Kosmos.

Wishes to subscribe to RM’s translation of Weismann.

Has seen Scudder’s article.

A. R. Wallace’s article ["Animals and their native countries", Nineteenth Century 5 (1879): 247–59] is excellent.

Shares RM’s misgivings about Fritz Müller’s mutually protecting mimics. Would expect bird’s response to distasteful caterpillars to be instinctive. Believes J. J. Weir or Thomas Belt may have investigated the point.

Would like to subscribe to English edition of Weismann.