Encloses a copy of Lord Derby's note of 17 April 1875 (DCP-LETT-9938).
Sir John Lubbock has agreed to meet CD, but no arrangement has been made.
Maybe they should drop the petition, since Lord Derby has agreed to help.
Looking forward to publication of Insectivorous plants, which he will review.
Paul Mantegazza has criticised FD on insectivorous plants
and CD on sexual selection; FD maintains dichogamy in plants supports sexual selection.
Pleased JVC likes Journal of researches. Responds to his queries and thanks him for conscientiousness as a translator.
Insectivorous plants is so large that Murray will publish Climbing plants as a separate little book. Hopes Insectivorous plants is worth translating.
Staying with the [Ore H.] Sandwiths during his convalescence.
Thanks for letter of 15th and book. Recollects many sights of Tierra del Fuego described by CD.
V. O. Kovalevsky has paid for the Expression plates.
Still has 400 copies of Chauncey Wright’s pamphlet
and 450 of Müller’s Facts and arguments for Darwin.
No summary available.
Lord Cardwell thinks it unlikely that Parliament will take any action on a vivisection bill this session. Playfair should be consulted.
E. F. W. Pflüger’s important memoir on how carbonic acid is produced by living matter and his speculation about origin of living matter [see 9931].
Returns papers [unidentified].
One on inheritance destitute of meaning. How can "force" act without any material on which to act? Discussion must assume truth of some such theory as Pangenesis.
Encloses letter from Thomas Henry Huxley (DCP-LETT-9942); CD thinks copies of their bill should be sent to Lyon Playfair and Edward Cardwell.
Richard Buckley Litchfield reports the intentions of the Humanitarians.
No summary available.
Further discussion about the act regulating animal experimentation; believes the licensing of places to be impracticable.
CD has seen Sir John [Lubbock] who suggests that L. Playfair would be the best man to present the [vivisection] petition, but thinks the proposed bill much more important and useful. JL also suggests that the bill be given a more humanitarian aspect and that it be presented to both Houses of Parliament.
Richard Buckley Litchfield will soon be able to send CD revised copies of the bill.
Will write to Sir John Lubbock to ask if he will present the bill.
Transcribes extracts from Sir James Mackintosh and J. S. Polack on infanticide.
No summary available.
On the petition by scientists regarding vivisection and plans for presenting it in Parliament.
Sir John Lubbock’s advice on draft of petition on vivisection. Agrees with Lubbock’s opinion that a bill would be more effective – but the more the subject is stirred up, the better.
Asks WRSR to explain a diploma and letter he has received from Russia, so he can return his thanks. [Probably a reference to CD’s being made an honorary fellow of the Society of Naturalists of the Imperial Kazan University in 1875.]
Announces death of W. W. Reade.