Encloses extracts from the correspondence of [the Ven. Robert] Clive concerning Erasmus Darwin.

Repeats extracts of a letter received from Bishop Stirling’s daughter containing anecdotes and observations of the Fuegian natives.

Arrangements regarding HD’s allowances.

Having reviewed the history of the Glen Roy debate ["On the origin of the parallel roads of Lochaber, and their bearing on other phenomena of the glacial period", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 170 (1880): 663–776], JP wishes to know whether it is accurate to say CD has abandoned the marine theory.

JP is right; CD gave up [Glen Roy theory] when he read T. F. Jamieson ["On the parallel roads of Glen Roy", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 19 (1863): 235–58].

Sends a copy of his Souvenirs entomologiques [1879].

Returns BJS’s Christmas good wishes.

The progress of Tierra del Fuego is almost as wonderful as that of Japan.

Is sorry to hear about Mellersh.

Reports on the comfortable life of an immigrant in Oregon.

Results of his second year of experiments with Russian wheat varieties will be published in Gardeners’ Chronicle [n.s. 13 (1880): 108, 172–3].

Observations on germination of wheat.

Delighted by honour CD has received from Turin. Agrees with Horace that the money ought to be given to the Zoological Station at Naples.

Requests that they receive, on his behalf, an award of 12000 lira [lire!?] from the Royal Academy of Sciences of Turin, and transmit it to the Union Bank, London.

Thanks for the information about Dr Erasmus Darwin and his parents.

Pleased by favourable English newspaper reviews of Erasmus Darwin. Charles Reinwald has not yet said whether he wants to use annotations intended for German readers.

FBG greatly interested in CD’s article ["Fertility of hybrids from the Chinese and common goose"] but has not altered his opinion on the matter.

Glad ASW has solved puzzle of outer seeds.

Quite agrees about great improbability of sudden transformations.

Asks for copy of report from Gardeners’ Chronicle [see 12404].

Gratified by CD’s praise.

Describes plan of his new book [Island life (1880)].

Efforts to secure a post.

Sends enclosure [missing], which HD is to forward to W. E. Darwin, as everyone else has seen it.

Sends some cotton seeds for CD.

Plans a "Darwin Festival" to celebrate CD’s birthday.

Responds to article in Nature on the sexual colours of butterflies [Collected papers 2: 220–2].