Encloses an abstract of his ideas on natural selection and the principle of divergence; the "means by which nature makes her species".

Discusses varieties and close species in large and small genera, finding some data from AG in conflict with his expectations.

Has been observing the action of bees in fertilising kidney beans and Lobelia.

Some negative results in variety tabulation survey.

Galls on wild carrot.

CD acknowledges honour of his election to the Academy.

Representative species may complicate tabulation of varieties.

Questions for Mr Anderson about horse colouring in Norway.

Has been writing an "audacious little discussion" to show that "organic beings are not perfect, only perfect enough to struggle with their competitors".

Thanks for three last lectures and the account of cirripedes.

Difficulty of classifying the higher groups.

The returned gloves are similar to some he has already, and he would prefer a pair with stiffer bristles.

Agassiz’s superficiality and wretched reasoning powers. But he stirred up Europe on glaciers. Lyell has been working on their effects – testing work of others.

CD believes "Natural Systems" ought to be simply genealogical. "Time will come when we shall have true genealogical trees of each great kingdom of nature."

Will collect no more pigeons. Is awaiting Burmese fowls’ skins coming via Berlin.

Discusses WED’s future education, the work on the extension, and other domestic affairs.

C. F. Ledebour [Flora rossica (1842–53)] particularly useful for variety tabulation. Results generally favourable.

Additions to Down House.

Last two chapters of MS took six months to write.

Huxley and William Sharpey praise JL’s paper [? on Daphnia, Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 147 (1857): 79–100] at Philosophical Club.

Thinks naturalists look for something further than Cuvier’s view of classification. Poses a theoretical problem on the classification of the races of man to prove that a genealogical system is best.

Asks JB to obtain information about pigeons.

Inquires where his article has been published ["On the discovery of Cnicus tuberosus at Avebury, Wilts.", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2d ser. 20 (1857): 337–9].

JSH’s Myosotis is beginning to sport. Asks whether some features are not odd.

Sends details on Myosotis sports. Feels sure he could make any flower in some degree monstrous in four or five generations.

Describes his experiments with kidney beans to test the agency of bees in their fertilisation. His results suggest they are essential.

Asks what George Swayne could mean by the advantage of artificial fertilisation of early beans [Trans. Hortic. Soc. Lond. 5 (1824): 208–13].

Has observed that hive-bees, which normally suck nectar from the flower of the kidney bean, will use holes cut through the calyx by humble-bees, though the holes cannot be seen from the mouth of the flower. Suggests hive-bees see humble-bees at work and understand what they are doing and "rationally" take advantage of the shorter path to the nectar. [See also 2359.]

Returns some of the systematics books borrowed from JDH. Will now take on A. P. and Alphonse de Candolle [Prodromus].

Arrangements for a visit.

Return of books.

JDH coming to Down.

Has come to think his brains were not made for thinking – he immediately feels better when at Moor Park.

News of his family.

Has TCE observed whether hybrids of Chinese and common forms [of geese] were wilder, or less tame, than both parents?