Thanks Howitt for his offer of information from Australia and suggests that Howitt keep detailed notes for a future publication.

Sends his book [On protoplasm (1874)], which defends CD’s theory.

Suggests why the lips are closed and the teeth clenched in the expression of determination: it originated as a means of protecting jaw-bone and teeth against a strong blow.

Comments on Tyndall’s [Presidential] Address at Belfast meeting [of BAAS] and praise of CD’s work there. Mentions criticism of Belfast clergy.

CL saw some crustacean footprints while in Ireland.

Hooker has told her of CD’s work on insectivorous plants. Offers plants, but her Dionaea plants are too small now.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton--Dyer [WTTD] about a recent stay with General Birch at Stranraer in the company of the Whites[?] & the Hamiltons. He also visited Lord Stair's Pinetum, run by a Mr Fowler, he particularly admired the white Douglas fir & some Pinus nobilis grown from grafts. He observed that Scotch Fir & Spruce won't grow there. He complains about the late train home from Galloway & the loss of their luggage en route to Wilesden via Carlisle. [John] Smith has gone to Cornwall. [Algernon Freeman-] Mitford is coming to stay with JDH at Kew, JDH likes Mitford so far. Russell, the RBG Kew 'orchid man', wants to leave in order to work on orchid greowing on a larger scale. JDH asks WTTD to consult Moore about a replacement at salary of 25 to 28 shillings plus room. JDH complains about the time he has to take correcting Lawson's reviews. JDH has received a proof corrected by WTTD with a passage about pitchers of Nepenthes marked as illegible, JDH does not know where it came from but has corrected it & sent it to the Academy. JDH complains about misprints in some 'copies' sent to Belfast for printing. JDH expects WTTD to see Harvey's Ericeae for Flora of South Africa whilst in Dublin. He apologises that he cannot send back Barkley's[?] bottles as promised. Reports that [Daniel] Oliver has returned from France & [John Gilber] Baker is away. JDH is preparing for some disageeable work with the Trustees of the British Museum regarding the Admiralty [probably in connection with a dispute over the collections from the HMS 'Challenger' expedition]. JDH intends to lay the case before Sir Philip Egerton privately. JDH asks WTTD to return an enclosed letter from Charles Darwin [enclosure not present].

Will prepare experiments with the fatty acids on digestion of gluten. Has found it is digested slowly, but entirely, with pepsin and hydrochloric acid.

Discusses belief in immortality and a personal God.

Describes his holiday in Southampton.

Comments on papers of John Wesley Judd.

Thanks DFN for her letter [see 9620].

Has nearly finished work on Dionaea.

Asks her to send a specimen of Drosera dichotoma.

Writes at length on the origins and meanings of particular head movements as used to express assent or disagreement, especially the sideways movements of the head as an expression of consideration or contemplation.

Also discusses space and colour perception.

Observations of effect of pepsin and hydrochloric acid on urea indicate that it is not digested [by Drosera].

Forwards a letter reporting on a blow-fly trapped by a leaf of Dionaea; decomposition of fly has also decomposed the leaf. JDH has written asking for a strong plant, and explaining the case [of surfeit].

Sends Pinguicula vulgaris leaves with seeds on them, together with his observations on proportion of leaves with insects on them.

Thanks for the Pinguicula leaves, from which he has picked off sixteen seeds.

Thanks her for specimen of Drosera. Asks for an epiphytic Utricularia.

Lady Dorothy Nevill has no Dionaea.

CD anxious to talk with JDH about Utricularia.

Offers Utricularia montana and gives instructions for growing Drosera.

Wishes to visit CD at Down when she comes to London.

JDH thanks Asa Gray for his letter of 27 Aug. Mentions spiral vessels. Comments on English knowledge of foreign developments, comparing his systematic botany to the German way. Will be glad of a copy of Valron's[?] Index. Has received the Thistles & Torrey's sheets by Dix. Praises Belfast meeting, particularly lectures by [Thomas Henry] Huxley & [John] Lubbock. Apologises that Farlow's paper was not acknowledged. JDH is sending Gray a copy of his Belfast address, it will be published in THE PROCEEDINGS. Notices of Edwards' observations have been omitted in CURTIS'S BOTANICAL MAGAZINE, JDH implies because of a quarrel. JDH has stayed out of the Linnean Society row but is embroiled in conflict with [William] Carruthers who has complained to the Admiralty, in the name of the British Museum Trustees & through the Librarian Mr Winter Jones, that JDH has not been sharing botanical collections. Including unfounded appeals about the Welwitch collection, collections made by [William] Purdie & [Charles] Wilford, & JDH's own Antarctica collections; which were shared with Captain [James Clark] Ross. It is part of the campaign by Carruthers & [Richard] Owen to undermine JDH's position as a British Museum Trustee. Haveley[?] has also been drawn into the dispute. The illiberal museum policy is the real reason none of the Public Offices send specimens there. 'Old Gray' [John Edward Gray] will retire & be replaced by Gunther but Owen will not go until he has moved the [natural history] collection to the new building [Natural History Museum]. The natural history trusteeship, comprised of JDH, Duke of Devonshire, Duke of Argyll, Viscount Eversley, Sir P. Egerton, Sir G. Burrows is ignored. Thanks Gray for Fremontia seed, shared with [Gustave Adolphe] Thuret & [Thomas] Hanbury. He will continue to send seed to Bolander through the Smithsonian. Advises that Baker will send Refugia[?] & JDH will pay Leeman. Asks what lower Cryptogams of Wilkes' voyage have been published.

Observations on flotation of Utricularia vulgaris.

Returns a Drosera, from which he cut a piece for microscopic examination.

Utricularia montana just arrived.

Has sent the Utricularia with the bladders that CD described.

In Variation CD does not mention a rare breed of Siamese cat, which she owns.

Asks for another photograph.