Samuel Butler’s fierce attack on CD and EK in Athenæum. CD’s sentence saying that EK had altered his Kosmos article was accidentally omitted from second proofs. Butler insinuates that EK’s attack on his book was suggested by CD or interpolated by him in EK’s text.

Comments on colours of races of man. Wishes WZS "or anybody else" could account for them.

On GJR’s work on mental evolution in animals. Emphasises "love" among animals.

Comments on stimulation of plants.

On pleasure and pain.

Since CD has decided not to answer S. Butler’s charge, WSD will not reply either.

Will look over Francis Darwin’s lecture ["Climbing plants"] with a view to publishing it in Popular Science Review [19 (1880): 213–29].

Thinks CD has no need to reply to Samuel Butler’s hostile article [in the Athenæum]. Offers to reply himself.

Thinks Herbert Spencer has done little service to science but a great service to thinking.

Thinks importance of mathematics overestimated [by J. F. Moulton] in criticising Spencer.

CD is pleased that EK will answer Butler. Thinks Butler is half insane.

Returns [Butler’s] attack, which he forgot to send yesterday.

Sends birthday wishes.

Discusses work on Medusae.

Recalls visit to Down.

CD advises EK on his proposed letter answering Butler.

Considering the favourable reviews, sale of Erasmus Darwin has been poor.

Birthday greetings.

Regrets Butler’s malicious attack.

Describes formation of student nature study club at the University of Jena. Sends birthday greetings from the club.

Sends birthday greetings

and the good news of a subvention for the Zoological Station received from the German government. There are now 20 naturalists working at the Station.

It might be possible to borrow £500 [for potato experiments]. Variety of "The Champion" spreading over the Kingdom. Champion lately less able to produce.

Enjoyed HM’s castigation of Gaston Bonnier ["Gaston Bonniers angebliche Widerlegung der modernen Blumentheorie", Kosmos 7 (1880): 219–36].

Thanks for his very kind letter.

CD thanks RLT for his two notes, a newspaper article, and a copy of RLT’s address honouring him.

Thanks EK for kind letter.

CD’s date on epitaph is a dreadful mistake. CD often overlooks errata.

Thanks society of students at Jena for birthday congratulations.

Thanks for articles by ASW in Gardeners’ Chronicle [see 12404]. Agrees with him.

Asks about growth of rootlets from knobs caused by fungus on roots of Cruciferae.