John Scott’s paper [see 4332] read at Linnean Society; praised by George Bentham.

Himalayan pine in Macedonia.

JDH is in a quarrel with H. C. Watson.

JDH explains why he cannot take Scott on at Kew.

John Tyndall cannot answer CD’s questions on glaciers. Edward Frankland’s ignorance. In JDH’s opinion, heaviness of winter snowfall is the greatest element in size of glaciers and this is a function of low mean temperature. Discusses descent of glaciers.

Encloses drawings of Menyanthes and Pulmonaria anthers.

Sends Passiflora paper [see 4485].

Sends seeds of peloric Antirrhinum crossed by normal form and sends results of his experiments [table of crosses].

Discusses CD’s and Mrs Gray’s health.

Comments on some climbing plants.

Praises Wallace’s article applying natural selection to man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].

Discusses the reported sterility of the flowers of Voandzeia and Amphicarpaea.

Feels the ending of slavery is worth the cost of the Civil War.

Pleased with news of BAAS meeting

and Scott’s possible position as Thomas Anderson’s curator.

Suggests Wallace is due for a Royal Medal.

Agrees with JDH’s criticism of Lyell’s address [see 4614].

Bentham’s Linnean Society address treats continuity of life in a vague non-natural sense.

Rereading his old MS [Natural selection] CD is impressed with work he had already done.

Writing Variation much harder than Climbing plants.

Encloses request to JDH to propose, or suggest on his behalf, that the Ray Society publish a translation of C. F. von Gärtner’s Versuche und Beobachtungen über die Bastarderzeugung im Pflanzenreich (1849).

Forwards a letter from his head brewer, Laurence Burleigh, on yeast. They seldom exchange yeast with other brewers, and he doubts whether weak yeast from one brewery will ferment strongly in another.

Congratulates CD on the Copley Medal.

Is making inquiries on the habits of American cuckoos and sends a letter from Henry Bryant on that subject.

Discusses the Civil War.

Encloses letter from W. H. Leggett containing observations on Amphicarpaea.

Sabine’s address, printed in the Reader [4 (1864): 708–9], is good on the whole. Sends Huxley’s account of the row.

Praises John Ruskin’s eloquent reply to Jukes.

Cover containing some seeds mentioned in the letter to H. C. Watson, 28 May [1864], f.2 (S 4512).

Sends, for identification, specimens of bees and wasps which fertilise orchids. [Notes in FS’s hand on the same sheet identify the specimens.]

Asks DO to give enclosed [letter?] from John Scott to Hooker.

JS’s work on orchid self-sterility; Acropera has 371250 seeds in one capsule.

Wishes something could be done for Scott.

Thanks HBD for his note. The analogy of surnames had not occurred to CD – only that of language generally, as shown so well by Lyell. Fears HBD’s argument about progression would not have much weight.

Salmon and trout increase in size with river.

Wishes to show CD fish hatchery near Hampton Court.

Quoted CD’s book on self-destruction within species in a salmon arbitration case.

Sends "2 pods ¼ gr each" to tide CD over.

Asks CD to sign some "Sunday tickets" [for the Zoological Garden?].

CD’s urine is normal. He may take antacids for his stomach.

[Outline sketches of pollen from long- and short-styled yellow cowslips and from a red cowslip.]

JL’s review of Huxley ["Lectures to working men", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 4 (1864)].

Returns letter mailed by mistake [see 4361].

Hopes CD will accept gift of his Radiolarien [Die Radiolarien, 2 vols. (1862)].