JVC’s publisher [Schweizerbart] must decide soon how many copies of two maps in Volcanic islands and South America are needed.

Has sent new edition of Orchids – greatly altered, but he hopes improved.

Thanks JVC for errata [in Cross and self-fertilisation]

and especially for interesting and amusing notes on expression. Will use them if a new edition [of Expression] is needed, but Murray has printed too many copies of first edition.

Corrects an important misprint in English edition of Cross and self-fertilisation, p. 275, line six from top [but see 10877].

Apologises for sending wrong Cross and self-fertilisation erratum. The error is on p. 191 (where "cross-seeds" appears, it should read "self-fertilised"). There is no error on p. 275.

Had found out his error [use of "cleistogenous" for "cleistogamous" in Cross and self-fertilisation] some timeago.

Is now writing on cleistogamic flowers [for Forms of flowers (1877)], and, with it, will have worked up all his old materials on plants. JVC will then have a rest from his labours of translation.

Forms of flowers will soon be published and is not a long book.

Does not suppose he will publish any more books, "though perhaps a few more papers". He "cannot endure being idle, but Heaven knows whether I am capable of any more good work".

Erratum JVC sent was due to a printer’s error after he had seen last proofs.

Thanks JVC for correcting a bad blunder in Forms of flowers.

His health fairly good; has been able to work "pretty hard".

Thanks JVC for a correction [for 3d German edition of Variation]. He is the most accurate translator that ever lived.

Neither he nor [Francis Darwin] intends publishing on inheritance.

They are working on physiology of plants [Movement in plants], but will not print for a year.

Thinks JVC’s new journal [Zoologische Anzeiger] will be of great use to students of zoology.

Gives an account of his publication plans for his and Ernst Krause’s Erasmus Darwin.

CD has never even dreamed of publishing his own autobiography.

Is now working, with Francis, on plant movements.

Has just sent MS of Descent to printers. Recognises that [because of Franco-Prussian War] the publisher will have given up idea of a German translation.

Though the war is a misfortune for science, CD rejoices at the wonderful success of Germany; has met no one who does not share this feeling.

Sympathetic to JVC’s views on Franco-Prussian war [see 7332].

Astonished at JVC’s readiness to begin work. Will send sheets as soon as possible. Has asked Murray to charge for stereotypes of 64 woodblocks at cost. JVC must make his own agreement with publisher.

Sends first four sheets [of Descent]. Murray charges £14 for the 64 stereotypes.

Cannot supply copies of woodcuts from Brehm’s Illustrirtes Thierleben [1864–9]. Hopes JVC’s publisher will be able to arrange to include them.

Thanks JVC for his corrections. Will send other errata. Hopes to send remainder of vol. 2 [of Descent] in a fortnight.

Hopes German edition [of Descent] has not yet been printed because he has fallen into a most serious blunder [about sexual selection never acting on the young] on pp. 297–9 of vol. 1.

Corrections for Descent. Has sold 6500 copies in England.

Has finished rough draft of Expression, but will put it aside for the summer.

Will refresh himself with some curious observations on the response of plants to certain stimuli.

Thanks JVC for corrections for Descent. Index, which is too full, was hurried at the end.

Glad to hear of new German edition of Origin. He is revising the English edition, adding a new chapter of "Answers".

No new edition of Descent has appeared.

Would be glad to see a new translation of the Journal of researches, which he revised in 1845.

Comments on white colour of sea-birds.

CD offers to mark corrected passages in sheets of 6th edition of Origin.

Discusses question of hybrids between goats and sheep, on which H. von Nathusius has cast doubt in his recent Viehzucht [1872]. CD gives several references for a contrary view.

Asks JVC to inquire about HvN’s assertion that castrated rams have no horns.

Sends sheets [of the 6th ed. of Origin].

Thanks JVC for his letter about the sheep.