Thanks CD for his reply and, in attempting to clarify his question [see 13358], asks: "how could the first mammal species be nourished, if its immediate progenitor was non-mammal?"

BJS’s grape case is a mystery.

CD is still able to work a little but does not expect to do much more of any interest to naturalists.

The death of his brother [E. A. Darwin] was a heavy loss.

No summary available.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD], who is in Gavernie, [France]. Since WTTD left, RBG Kew has had many visitors: the French Royal family including JDH's 'old acquaintances' the Comte de Paris & Duc de Chartres, also [George] Bentham's family & Madame Ragnal. The death of [Algernon Freeman-] Mitford's father in law in Denver, Colorado will delay Mitford coming to RBG Kew. Reports that the Palms in the Palm House have recovered after over heating. A box of Cycad leaves has arrived for WTTD from Denmark also Bangalore Cycas specimens from Cameron & 2 cases of palms from Thornton. [Ferdinand von] Mueller, whom JDH calls 'little better than a lunatic', sent some Andersonias; blue flowered Epacridaceae to be figured in the Magazine [CURTIS'S BTOANICAL MAGAZINE?] but all arrived dead. JDH summarises his correspondence with Maw regarding rock gardens. John Smith, [Kew Curator] will soon return from Cornwall, but he need not as JDH gets on well with his deputy George Nicholson & William Watson is also doing well. JDH, in agreement with Walters, has dismissed 2 lads he found messing around in the Palm House. [William] Nock has not yet turned up [at Hakgala, Sri Lanka]. [James] Zohrab has visited RBG Kew, he expects to go to St Thomas, [Danish West Indies, now the United States Virgin Islands]. JDH has not received the 'Report' & has written to Reid. JDH gathers from the newspapers that Colonel Johnston is in India. JDH hopes that Watt will go to Manipur. JDH describes what a struggle it has been for him & his father, William Jackson Hooker, to develop the RBG Kew herbarium over the last 40 years, with the British Museum [of Natural History] as an impediment. Things have improved for Henry Trimen at Hakgala Garden, [Sri Lanka], & he has received the Landolphias & Cinchonas. [Daniel] Morris also received his cases in good order. JDH is working hard in the arboretum & praises Nicholson's work there. JDH must give his list of palm genera to [George] Bentham.