Requests observations on sensitive Mimosa and movements of plants in rain.
Worm-castings.
Showing 61–76 of 76 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Requests observations on sensitive Mimosa and movements of plants in rain.
Worm-castings.
Response to Wallace’s article ["The colours of animals and plants", Macmillan’s Mag. (Sept 1877)] on sexual colours and "voluntary" sexual selection.
Further discussion of evidence for sexual selection. Prefers "conscious" to "voluntary" action. Distinguishes features that serve as charms and those that serve as challenges.
Rejoices that SS has accepted his son [William]. Judging from his own experience "life would be a most dreary blank without a dear wife to love with all one’s soul".
Has read WEG’s article ["The colour sense", Nineteenth Century 2 (1877): 366–88] on H. Magnus’ view. Informs him of a criticism of this view and reply by Magnus in Kosmos. Offers to send the article.
CD has contributed some facts on the difficulty children have in distinguishing colours (or naming them correctly).
Sends WEG the two articles [see 11163] with references.
CD thinks savages do not have names for shades of colours, which is curious since those he has known have names for every slight promontory or hill.
Asks for Cassia seed for experiments.
CD and son [Francis] working on spontaneous movements of plants and heliotropism.
Has given [Raphael Meldola] permission to read extracts of FM’s last letter [not found], on odours emitted by moths, before Entomological Society [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1878): ii–iii].
Will call on addressee when he is next in London.
Thanks FM for letter of 22 Feb [not found] on Lepidoptera. Will send it to Entomological Society to be read. FM’s earlier letters produced best discussions of the season.
Thanks for seeds of Viola.
He and Francis [Darwin] are at work on biology of seedling plants and wish to observe how the flowers penetrate the earth.
The Pontederia did not germinate, probably pressed too much [in post].
Has forwarded FM’s letter to Raphael Meldola.
Thanks for information on Mimosa.
Would like to know how Cassia behaves in the rain.
Thanks for seeds
and information about earthworms.
Is working hard at movement in plants.
Supports Epping Forest appointment.
Continues work on vegetable physiology.
Has sent FM’s letter on caddis-fly to Nature ["On a frog and caddis-flies", Nature 19 (1879): 462–4].
Thanks FAG for "the curious case of inheritance" [see 12064].
Thanks WEG for his essay showing how Homer distinguished between different kinds of movement.