Observations on style length of 150 flowers of Pulmonaria [angustifolia]. [See Forms of flowers, p. 105.]

Oxalis plants have arrived safely [see 4347].

CD regrets his mistake about Disa; will correct it.

Thanks RT for his additional facts about Disa.

Is recovering slowly from ten months’ illness.

Asks whether Strelitzia reginae grows in gardens at the Cape. Suspects it must be fertilised by a bird.

Is burning to hear CD’s reaction to Wallace’s excellent paper on man ["Origin of human races and the antiquity of man", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].

Wallace’s disclaimer of credit for natural selection is high-minded.

Discusses WED’s observations on polymorphic flowers.

CD finishing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Pleased at Bates’s appointment

and Wallace’s paper.

Urges WDF to send trap he has invented to the exhibition and competition of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Advertisement of Brailsford’s Patent Vermin Trap enclosed.

Thanks for communicating Oncidium sterility paper [see 4485] to Linnean Society.

Surprised that CD’s seedlings of non-dimorphic cowslip breed true.

Surprised also that the red primrose he sent reverts to wild form. He had reasoned from red’s infertility with yellow that it was an established variety. Tries to correlate inheritance of colour and sterility between varieties.

CD says Meneanthes is now in flower.

Glad to hear CD well again.

Will send Lythrum hyssopifolium flowers from Botanic Garden if they are in bloom; does not know where to find wild specimen, but thinks they are same as garden type.

Is finishing his course of lectures, which was attended by 35–45 people.

Sends Pulmonaria anthers, with measurements of styles and pollen counts.

JDH suggests Scott go to India; he will write letters of introduction.

Conversation with Herbert Spencer.

George Bentham would like to know how CD’s view of hybridism diverges from Charles Naudin’s.

Sends specimens of Menyanthes with observations and drawings [see Forms of flowers, p. 115].

Sends dandelion [enclosed] with peculiar form of achene; suggests this solitary "sport" must have arisen by sudden jump from normal type.

Clarifies his letter of 18 May [4500].

Taeas [?] allied to L. hyssopifolia. [Cover containing packets of seed specimens.] Mentioned in the letter to H. C. Watson, 28 May [1864], f.2 (fS 4512).

Corrects his former account of cowslips.

The delay in the publication of JS’s Primula paper.

Delights in JS’s experimentation on Verbascum which confirms [C. F.] Gärtner’s statements.

Should be pleased if JS would accept offer of help.

CCB thought CD wanted live specimens, but now will send some dried ones from his herbarium.

Encloses an extract from a letter received from [J. D.] Hooker which suggests a job opportunity in India. Advises careful reflection about the risks and the need for a character recommendation. Would like to support the costs of the voyage and initial living expenses.

CD’s pleasure at JDH’s willingness to help Scott find a position in India.

Naudin underrates contamination of his experiments by insects. Thus CD doubts Naudin’s results on rapidity and universality of reversion in hybrids.

Wallace’s paper on man [see 4494] reflects his genius, although CD does not fully agree with it.

Encloses drawings of Menyanthes and Pulmonaria anthers.