Urges Frank to reconsider his refusal of Cambridge Examinership.

Returns to CD a corrected proof [of "Fritz Müller on a frog having eggs on its back", Nature 19 (1878–9): 462–4].

Discusses adaptations of the pupae of, and Fritz Müller’s work on, Trichoptera.

Thanks for seeds and for kindness to Frank Darwin.

Offers to translate [E. Krause’s] "Erasmus Darwin" for £10.

Thanks CD for signing his certificate for the Royal Society.

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.

Repeats his willingness to translate E. Krause’s "Erasmus Darwin".

Frank’s reasons for not accepting the Cambridge Examinership.

Had doubts about excerpt from Anna Seward’s book [Life of Dr Darwin]. Sends slightly enlarged version of his "Erasmus Darwin". Includes footnote denouncing Seward’s book.

Finds that part 2 of ED’s Botanic garden, 2d ed. (1790), appeared before part 1 (1791).

Asks if CD would like to subscribe to a reprint of Edward Blyth’s Field articles on cranes.

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.

Thanks for sketch of Erasmus Darwin by John Dowson [see Erasmus Darwin, p. iv]; would like to incorporate this information into MS. Previous biographers of Erasmus Darwin had insufficient knowledge of what appeared in his works.

Wants a Cassia identified

and several plants and seeds for experimental purposes.

Sends his photograph as requested.