Sends proof-sheets of CD’s contribution to LJ’s Memoir of Henslow.

Reports that the orchids Myanthus and Catasetum are identical.

Thanks for promise of photograph.

Has no melastomads in bloom.

Describes sensitive anthers of Cynorchis.

Thanks CD for "your little pamphlet".

Has had 16 in the household ill.

Wants to meet JL.

Praises JL’s paper ["Ancient lake-habitations of Switzerland", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 2 (1862): 26–51].

CD has sent to printer proofs of his contribution to Memoir of Henslow.

His answer to Asa Gray.

On JDH’s view of aristocracy. Primogeniture is dreadfully opposed to selection.

Orchid book proofs ready soon – has no idea whether it is worth publishing.

Huxley on Owen.

Feeble letter from J. H. Balfour against Huxley’s lectures ["Relation of man to lower animals", pt 2 of Man’s place in nature (1863)].

Has received the "astounding" Angraecum sesquipedale with nectary 1ft long: "what insect could suck it?"

Thanks CD for returned MS and letter with its good opinion. Asks CD to write to Murray.

Grateful for CD’s approval of "Lake-habitations".

H. W. Bates is, at CD’s urging, writing a book of travel and natural history. CD suggests JM might be interested in publishing it. Recommends HWB and his MS highly.

The Japan pig, an unusual domestic species with no wild prototype.

Will visit CD on Saturday.

Has sent CD the published part of his work on Carex [Illustrations of the genus Carex (1858–67)]. Hopes to add 200 more figures. Comments on great variability among the 600–odd species, and on their geographical distribution.

Owen’s paper on the aye-aye [Rep. BAAS 32 (1862) pt 2: 114–16];

his attacks on CD and his theories.

Discusses manuscript by H. W. Bates [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)].

Mentions CD’s forthcoming book [Orchids].

Is JDH sure it is a Bletia, just received? Its pollen very different from any Epidendreæ he has seen. If it is Bletia, Lindley’s grand divisions are fanciful.

Accepts JDH’s offer to collect cases of dimorphism.

James Bateman has sent a lot of orchids with Angraecum sesquipedale. What a proboscis the moth that sucks its 11½ inch nectary must have!

Encloses seeds.

Lecoq’s work mentions instances of apparent dimorphism. [H. Lecoq, Études sur la géographie botanique de l’Europe, 9 vols. (1854–8).]

Is preparing a volume of his articles [Essays on scientific and other subjects (1862)], to one of which he would like to add a postscript referring to CD’s Origin [pp. 100–1]. Sends proposed postscript for CD’s approval.

Encloses note from Murray, hoping it will be satisfactory. Murray is ready to see as much of MS as possible. Murray is considered honest but may be cautious, since HWB’s name is unknown to the public.

Returns HH’s essay.

CK defended CD’s theory at a shooting party with the Bishop of Oxford, the Duke of Argyll, and Lord Ashburton. The discussion started as a result of shooting some blue rock-pigeons which were different from blue rocks of other localities. CK held that all pigeons were descended from one species.

CK proposed that mythological races, e.g., elves and dwarfs, were intermediate species between man and apes, and have become extinct by natural selection; i.e., by competition with a superior white race of man.