Comments on cool-period MS. Still believes geographical changes principal cause of former changes of climate.

Thanks for references for his Naudin–hybridism paper [see 5029].

On the "bullae" as constant, regular generic characters in Hymenoptera. Disagrees with Louis Jurine ["Observations sur les ailes des hyménoptères", Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino 24 (1820): 177–214].

Asks, on behalf of his father, whether he might publish a new German translation of the Origin, believing Bronn’s to be inadequate.

Forgot to thank CD for his praise of tendril paper [see 4944].

Cannot come to Down on weekend because of teaching duties.

Describes plans for new German edition of Origin [1867].

Thanks for the paper on Sterrha (McLachlan 1865).

Oswald Heer [in Die Urwelt der Schweiz (1866)] agrees with CD that Swiss ants (Formica sanguinea) capture more slaves than do British ants. Does this contradict selection, since the British ants are exposed to harder conditions and a poorer fauna?

Writes on slave-making ants; cannot explain why fewer slaves are caught in England than in Switzerland.

Sends CD comb of the Chinese honey-bee, as requested.

Asks [Secretary] to list the proper titles of foreign societies of which he is an honorary member; he has mislaid diplomas.

Calls for more study of behaviour and less of classification to determine whether descent theory can bear the weight not [only] of reasoning but of fact. Hopes CD’s intended book [Variation] will help.

Thanks for explanation on relative fertility of homostyled and heterostyled crosses in Primula. Sends an intermediate form with small stamens, but stigma only slightly above stamens.

Election as Botanical Lecturer at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

In response to a letter from RS’s father [translation enclosed] Schweizerbart has suggested H. B. Geinitz revise Bronn’s edition of the Origin, but RS doubts he is suitable.

Extensive discussion of Pangenesis in reply to JDH’s comments.

Reference to description of Begonia phyllomaniaca.

Thanks for the explicit account of Pangenesis. Thinks he now follows CD’s ideas but Pangenesis is very difficult and speculative.

Oliver has lost his little girl.

Sends copies of Science gossip and The leisure hour.

Enjoyed visit.

His criticism of Primula fertility referred to table 2 [Collected papers 2: 56] where weight of seeds produced from good pods by long-styled homostylous cross and short-styled heterostylous cross are virtually identical.

Pleased CD does not consider review of his works prejudiced [Anon., "Darwin and his teachings", Q. J. Sci. 3 (1866): 151–76].

Supports gradual development of species over time.

Confused by the metaphysical view implied in the analogy between a creative power that has made new species and artificial selection governed by human reason (Origin, 3d ed., p. 492).

Doubts natural selection.

Cites his discussion of the origin of Infusoria [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 14 (1865): 546–7].

Structure of Scaevola and its fertilisation with insect aid.

Fertilisation of Aristolochia.

FM’s paper on climbing plants [see 5146].

Is preparing new edition of Origin.