Agrees with JDH on G. J. Allman’s work. Approves of JDH’s text proposing GJA for Royal Medal.

Will be proud to see General Richard Strachey at Down – a truly great man.

Specimens of Drosera are waiting to be examined.

Thanks FMM for his "Lectures [on Mr Darwin’s philosophy of language", Fraser’s Mag. n.s. 7 (1873): 525–41, 659–78].

CD is not worthy to be FMM’s adversary as he knows very little about language and, being fully convinced man is descended from some lower animal, he is forced to believe a priori that language has developed from inarticulate cries.

Comments on CHB’s book [Experimental researches on catarrhus aestivus – hay-fever or hay-asthma (1873)].

Explains that some pollens are wind-blown while others depend on insects for dispersal. Effect of pollen on skin and mucous membrane astonishing. Sends a book [M. Wyman, Autumnal catarrh (1872)].

Thanks for specimens and information about worm-castings.

Mentions Dr Krefft and discusses a caterpillar in Sydney whose cocoon imitated the leaf to which it was attached.

Thanks correspondent for his kind and generous exertions [to get CD elected to French Academy?].

Forwards photograph, sent by [J. L. G.] Krefft, of a chrysalis attached to its food-plant; the chrysalis has adjusted its colour remarkably.

Seeks the assistance of a professional chemist in securing a qualitative analysis of the fluid secreted by the glands of Drosera which have the power of dissolving animal matter out of the bodies of insects. [See 8979.]

Thanks JLGK for photos of natives of Queensland.

Asks if he can observe whether worms throw up castings in wet weather.

Thanks for the three essays: although they are beyond his scope, they seem to him very interesting.

HE’s facts about the Mexican ant [Myrmecocystus mexicanus] are "most wonderful & interesting".

Thanks EF for his offer of assistance. Could the viscid secretions [in glands of Drosera] contain pepsin? Will the sodium carbonate render the testing of organic matter difficult? [See 8979.] Will send the fluid in a fortnight.

Agrees to delay sending the fluid [from the glands of Drosera] until early October. Will try suggestion about pepsin. [See 8981.]

Comments on ability of recipient to move his scalp.

Sends a letter from J. D. Hague confirming his earlier observation [see 8788] of frightened behaviour of ants when they come upon dead ants. CD had asked for confirmation because J. T. Moggridge had suggested that the ants’ behaviour was alarm at the scent of the observer’s fingers.

Thanks for Études sur la coeur et la circulation centrale dans la série des vertébrés (Studies on the heart and the central circulation in the vertebrate series; Sabatier 1873).

Describes his recent work on Drosera digestion of organic materials, e.g., albumen and gelatin. Edward Frankland has given CD a rough test for pepsin. Some plant extracts cause as much inflection as meat. Has found some reversible inflection with heat and perhaps some heat rigor. Has measured the extreme sensitivity of Drosera with very dilute solution of ammonium phosphate.

Has three common garden plants of which he needs to know correct names; will send specimens as soon as he hears JDH is back.