Has been ill (violent skin inflammation).

Has done hardly anything except tend to his experiments. Repeating Primula work has verified former results and very curious facts on sterility of homomorphic seedlings.

Wonders who reviewed Orchids for London Review & Wkly J. Polit..

Asa Gray also infatuated with Orchids.

"I have received a letter from Dr. Asa Gray this morning who says ""pray ask Mr. Trubner to send at once 1/2 dozen copies of the Orchid book"". Will you be so good as to attend to it."

Orders paper suitable for drying plants.

Thanks for Orchids.

Plans to publish soon on hybrids.

Roughly identifies some insects sent by CD; is waiting to see Francis Walker, who, he believes, has written a monograph on the family to which they belong.

Forwards carbonate of ammonia and gelatine free of chlorine.

M. J. Berkeley wrote London Review & Wkly J. Polit. article.

CD is "out of sight the best physiological observer and experimenter that Botany ever saw".

Laments how much he [JDH] missed when doing the Listera ["Functions and structure of the rostellum of Listera ovata", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 144 (1854): 259–64].

Illness of wife and father.

"More plants from Fernando Po and more European".

Has seen Francis Walker, who has identified CD’s two Hymenoptera species ["caught in Musk Orchis" – CD note].

CD too ill to write.

He thanks Appleton for most beautiful work of natural history he has ever seen.

Circulars are being sent to Army surgeons.

Remembers JDH’s encouragement when he was "utterly weary of life".

Marvellous about European forms in Fernando Po.

C. V. Naudin will publish a book on hybridity ["Nouvelles recherches sur l’hybridité dans les végétaux", Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 1 (1865): 25–176; part also in Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) (1863)].

CD fears Naudin has underestimated distribution of pollen by insects.

Melastomatous plants are ready for his work on meaning of two sets of anthers.

Very curious about Masdevallia.

George [Darwin] observing orchids.

Adaptation of Herminium beats almost every other orchid.

Discusses cases of assumed correlation, e.g., facial hair and generative organs, sexual characters in castrated oxen. Finds it difficult to see how correlation of functions which would be useless separately can be accumulated gradually through natural selection.

Encloses answers and corrections [concerning Orchids]. Thanks HGB for translating it.

Has not had time to look at Rhexia.

Progress of Civil War.

Sends musk orchid.

Thanks JHB for specimen of Corallorrhiza;

would like some seeds of Corydalis claviculata.

Thanks JB for "orchid flowers with Diptera".

Came to Florence on account of the sudden death of Mrs. [Joanna B.] Horner. Thanks for the translation of a book of the Iliad, but thinks only Greek scholars should read it. Has some queries regarding the migration of hippopotomi; can JH supply any facts or references?

Enclosed is from Mr. Moffat, son of the missionary. Thanks for the essay on Meteorology. The Cape Meteorological Observations for 1841-7 were printed under the direction of Edward Sabine. The mss. for the later series are in possession of Robert FitzRoy, who is trying to find the means to print them. Serious gales at the Cape. Vessel wrecked on Sunday night attempting to enter Table Bay.

Is an amateur astronomer, interested especially in sidereal astronomy. Has constructed a small telescope. Can JH advise him on good books dealing with sidereal astronomy?