Examining JDH’s list. CD struck by how many plants are common to Europe, S. America, and Australia.

Wide-ranging species more "improved" than relics in small areas because they exist in large numbers and thus are subject to intense competition.

His abstract is 330 folio pages long so far.

Memorial concerning British Museum collection.

Relation of Cape of Good Hope and Australian flora a great trouble. CD’s high estimation of importance of glacial period for distribution.

Replies at length to JDH’s worried reaction to his comments on lowness of Australian plants. CD distinguishes between "competitive highness", i.e., which fauna would be exterminated and which survive if two faunas were placed in competition, and ordinary "highness" of classification.

Darwin comments that Hooker's letter to ARW is perfect and that he has forwarded it to ARW along with one from himself. Darwin states he had resigned himself to giving up priority regarding evolution by natural selection to ARW but for influence from Lyell and Hooker.

Darwin thanks Hooker for reporting that all went well at the Linnean Society and supports Hooker's suggestion that he (Hooker) write to ARW to "exonerate" Darwin.

Darwin responding to Hooker's request for papers. Darwin seems resigned to not to ARW usurping him regarding the explanation of how and why species change over time, "I daresay all is too late. I hardly care about it.—".

Conveys news of the death of Darwin's baby son. References letters received from Hooker regarding the suggestion that they present ARW's paper and Darwin's writings as a joint paper to the Linnaean Society.

Darwin requests a clean proof (of his abstract?) for ARW.

Darwin tells Hooker he has sent ARW 8 copies of the offprints of Darwin & Wallace (1858).

Darwin requests a clean proof of Darwin and Wallace 1858 to send to ARW.

Has gone over to CD’s side on the fertilisation of clover in New Zealand by bees.

Botanical practice can confuse CD’s compilations. Many small genera would have been species had the whole natural order [family] been known.

JDH’s low opinion of Buckle;

high opinion of Mrs Farrer.

Summary of JDH’s objections to CD’s survey of floras and conclusion that large genera vary more than small.

Continued objections to methods and conclusions of CD’s survey.

Reports that N. J. Andersson finds every European willow bar one is also American.

Has heard from David Livingstone and reports on his progress.

Sends proofs [of "On the tendency of species to form varieties … ", read 1 July 1858, Collected papers 2: 3–19]. CD could publish his abstract [later the Origin] as a separate supplemental number of [Journal of the Linnean Society].

JDH has studied in detail CD’s manuscript on variable species in large and small genera and concurs with its consequences. Discusses methodological idiosyncrasies of systematists, e.g., Bentham, Robert Brown, and C. C. Babington, which complicate CD’s tabulations.

The CD–Wallace paper has gone to press.

JDH’s tabulation of variable species from Bentham was done in haste.

Busy with introductory essay to [The botany of the Antarctic voyage, pt III] Flora Tasmaniae [printed separately as On the flora of Australia (1859)].

Now explains greater abundance of European species in Tasmania than in Fuegia by CD’s "refrigeration" hypothesis.

At work on the introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae.

Discusses the effects of climate and geography on "vegetable strife".