Thanks RC for his kind note. It was only Climbing plants for which he wanted the proofs to have wide margins. Wishes he understood more about printing. It would be a great convenience to authors if exterior margins of proofs were broad.

Thanks JF for his book.

At present has no observations he wishes made in India.

Cannot believe in possibility that the duck is a hybrid, but correlation accords with some other facts.

Requests specimens of berries and more information about the Madresfield Court vine.

Regrets he will not return home in time to see WDW.

Proofs have come. It will be jolly coming down to Southampton.

Asks FD to make out [Hermann] Hoffmann’s conclusions about the fertilisation of Phaseolus multiflorus [in Untersuchungen zur Bestimmung des Werthes von Species und Varietät (1869)].

Further discussion of the process of aggregation in response to [10137].

Tells CD of his many experiments on interarching vines, potato tubers, exudation of carbon dioxide from roots,

and the synchrony of the pulse and the step while walking.

Would like to meet CD.

Thanks for GR’s "Address" [see 10141].

Wishes he had not quoted Bagehot’s remark [in Descent 1: 239] about decrease in savage populations. Interest in subject.

Has observed a dun pony with black stripes.

Intends breeding native fowls and will happily furnish CD with any information he can.

Discusses the domestication of animals.

Since the new edition of Variation will be stereotyped, Murray’s will always have means to provide plates if they are wanted in America.

Explains their way of sending proofs for authors who want wide margins for corrections.

Thinks it better to keep Climbing plants for the annual trade sale.

Reports a hybrid ram and sow, the cuino of Mexico, which is very common and fertile.

RLT speculates on the "moral nature" of parental protection shown by humans and traces it back to its first occurrence in the animal world.

Hopes to meet Dresser and his guest, N. A. Severtsov, on returning to Down.

CD gives a few instances of various animals (starfish, earwigs, spiders) that take charge of their young.

Thanks for Thomas Belt’s Naturalist in Nicaragua [1874], which confirms some of his observations,

and for Insectivorous plants, which he praises.

Suggests that a book integrating knowledge of plant–animal interactions be written by a Darwinist.

Defines biology as the science of external interactions.

German reception is far more positive than Italian.

Has read CD’s book on Drosera [Insectivorous plants] and found that it presents new material and is very interesting.

Has discovered that the parasites he thought he had found in Melipona nests are in fact true females. It is remarkable that they differ so greatly from the sterile females and males of their species.

Sends comments and suggestions for Huth’s experiment on crossbreeding rabbits.

Thanks CD for telling her "such exact truth". She saw Thomas Carlyle at Keston – the country air has done him good – "he is half sorry to have been so unsociable on his first arrival".

Examples of pupillary dilation.