Should like to examine the correspondent’s Madeira cirripedes but is too much occupied with other subjects of natural history.

Requests skins of domestic breeds or races of poultry, pigeons, rabbits, cats, and dogs from any unfrequented region. [Attached is a list of people to whom CD has written for pigeon and poultry skins.]

Thanks for offer of Helix for experiment. Asks for assistance. Mentions failure of his own experiment involving Helix pomatia.

Returns the Greenland catalogue, which he has kept too long.

Questions about stripes on mules.

Origin will be published 22 Nov. Fears correspondent will find the conclusions "abominable".

August Laugel has sent him a copy of his review [of Origin] in Revue des Deux-Mondes [26 (1860): 644–71].

He has sent the list of seeds to J. H. Hooker at Kew. There has been no agreement about a French edition [of Origin]. There is little chance of his being at the BAAS meeting at Oxford.

Orders one copy of the issue of the Atlantic Monthly for last August (but not worth sending to America for) and two copies of the issue for next October.

Sends photograph in case recipient collects them.

Thanks correspondent for book on old bones.

CD is obliged for the offer, but he is "too much occupied to contribute to any periodicals".

CD regrets he has to turn down an invitation because of his ill health.

Declines invitation to dine at Downing College because of influenza.

Thanks for monstrous floral specimen, but it is a common one.

Asks for information about cases for stove-plants. [Answers recorded in another hand.]

Encloses a dialogue on species from a New Zealand newspaper [S. Butler’s First dialogue on evolution, from the Christchurch Press].

Seeks permission to make another visit to Addiscombe [Military College] to see again the model of St Helena. He needs to correct proportion of some geological sections in his Geology [see Volcanic islands, ch. 4].

On rereading the Origin, offers a criticism on two grounds: 1. Blending inheritance; 2. The tendency of species to elude competing species. Also competition within species eliminates the weak and thus preserves the species.

Sends a photograph of himself.