Wants Monochaetum flowers for examination as he has forgotten the structure and cannot publish until he has repeated his observations and experiments.
Thanks for Monochaetum flowers; his old notes have now become intelligible.
CD is familiar with EJL’s work [on Asplenium movements]; finds Asplenium an unusual case.
About Francis Darwin’s application for election to [Royal] Society.
Asks for quick decision on publication [of Earthworms]. Does not care whether it is published on commission or on usual terms, but wants it published in a hurry. Cannot guess at sales.
Agrees that new book [Earthworms] be published on old terms. Hopes it will not fail.
CD is curious to read an essay on evolution by a Hindu, which is being sent to Murray from India.
Earthworm book with printer.
Has sent FM’s observations on paraheliotropism to Nature ["Movement of leaves", Collected papers 2: 228–9].
Plants with differently coloured anthers.
Intends gathering together his notes on "bloom".
CD gives his opinion on vivisection with the understanding that the whole letter will be published. Worked for Act of Parliament, but disapproves of the one passed. CD convinced English physiologists do not perform cruel experiments.
Summarises a letter from Fritz Müller [missing] giving details of leaf movement in Mucuna, Desmodium, and Bauhinia. CD is especially interested in the paraheliotropic movements, which appear to be as common as sleep movements.
Wishes AE every success in his scientific studies.
Suggests that the pappus of Compositae, when lying on ground, may absorb water which may function in seed germination.
Discusses concept of intelligence in his Earthworms manuscript.
Remarks on GJR’s work on echinoderms.
Comments on Wilhelm Roux [Der Kampf der Theile im Organismus (1881)].
Discusses animal instincts, citing Fabre’s description of sand-wasps.
Obliged for extract from Gardeners’ Chronicle about Russian wheat. "It is a capital instance of one var. gradually beating out another."
Cannot remember where he put G. Henslow’s note [on the cotyledon of grass embryos].
Discusses GJR’s experiments on heliotropism in plants; views of Philippe van Tieghem and Julius von Wiesner. Describes his own experiments.
Mentions his letter on vivisection [to Frithiof Holmgren, see 13115] in the Times [18 Apr 1881].
Vivisection; CD’s exchange with Holmgren.
Replies to F. P. Cobbe’s letter [Times 19 Apr 1881] accusing CD of having misinformed his Swedish correspondent about the findings of the Royal Commission on vivisection.
Wants Trifolium seed.
Has been rereading WTT-D’s letters on "bloom".
CD will not permit publication of his previous letter on vivisection.
Cannot give lecture.
Thanks for gift of JCL’s book on pigeons (J. C. Lyell 1881).
Declines to endorse it, because he lacks the time to read it with sufficient care.