EAD will forward a book and letter to CD; thanks JSH for sending CD’s letters.
He is steadily and very hard at work on "Variation" [Natural selection] and finds the whole subject "deeply interesting but horribly perplexed".
Description of the months at Tierra del Fuego. His first sight of the primitive Fuegians. Geological and zoological observations and specimens.
The Falklands: geological and zoological observations.
Convinced the [Megatherium] sent to Royal College of Physicians [by Woodbine Parish] belongs to same formation as bones he sent home.
Fears JSH will think his collections scanty. Makes it a constant rule to prefer obscure and diminutive tribes of animals.
Now has a servant whom he has taught to skin birds, etc.
Lists four barrels of specimens he is sending.
Gives future route. He looks forward to the western coast of South America.
The [Megatherium] fossils were extremely interesting and were shown at the Geological Section of the BAAS meeting at Cambridge [1833].
The plants delight him; will work them out with W. J. Hooker.
CD should send every fossil he can find; minute insects will be nearly all new. Delighted with descriptions of the few animals alluded to.
Delighted that JSH is coming to Down. Sends correct train time.
JSH’s Myosotis is beginning to sport. Asks whether some features are not odd.
Sends details on Myosotis sports. Feels sure he could make any flower in some degree monstrous in four or five generations.
Informs JSH that a Spanish friend has offered him a cargo of bones. If they arrive, he has arranged with Edward Lumb to forward them to JSH. [Forwarded to JSH with 244.]
Mrs Henslow’s death stirs reminiscences of happier days.
Is sending a cargo of specimens – birds’ skins, small quadrupeds, and fossil bones.
Describes his overland trip from Rio Negro to Buenos Aires and his expedition to Santa Fé.
Asks for mineralogical works to help him with the volcanic rocks of the west coast.
CD and his family have come to the seashore, driven from home by scarlet fever at Down, death [of Charles Waring Darwin], and other family illness. Sorry to miss seeing JSH.
Would be grateful to hear his objections to CD’s species speculations.
Thanks JSH for his magnificent present. Hopes Hooker will bring the specimens.
Have water-fowl ever been seen at Ipswich on Mr Ransome’s great tank?
Arrangements to meet JSH at station for his visit to Down.
On fossils ([Megatherium], etc.), plants, shells sent and new ones found; geological observations. Asks for help in understanding cleavage and planes of deposition.
A new species of ostrich. Cites differences in size, colour, nidification, and geographical distribution.
On CD’s instructions EL has forwarded a case containing part of the head of [Megatherium].
CD’s cargo is safe; the fossils have been sent to William Clift.
JSH asks for dried plants (those sent were all of greatest interest).
Sends news of Cambridge and mutual friends.
CD is excited by JSH’s high opinion of his collections.
Discusses his notes and some new discoveries. Summary of events since leaving Falklands.
Geology of Patagonia.
Corallines at Tierra del Fuego convince him of artificiality of arrangement of their families by Lamarck and Cuvier.
Geological expedition in Andes, ending with serious illness. Specimens being sent.
Sends the Origin to his "dear old master in natural history"; fears he will not approve of his pupil in this case. Asks for criticisms. If JSH is even in slight degree staggered on the immutability of species, CD is convinced that he will be more staggered on further reflection – this has been the process of his own mind.
CD is unwell.
FitzRoy has dispatched two casks of bones and stones, a box with "very valuable specimens", and a large jar.