Comte de Paris requests an orchid from CD for his huge collection.

JDH responds to CD’s criticism of York address.

Arruda Furtado could work on mystery of buried cypress trunks in the Azores.

Gives an account of the reception of his paper at York [BAAS meeting].

Has been visiting Anthony Rich, who persists in his intention to leave his property to CD despite the large fortune left by Erasmus. It is now all the more necessary for CD to arrange his own will.

Condolences on death of Erasmus.

Erasmus has left half his fortune to CD. Anthony Rich nevertheless insists on keeping to his testamentary arrangements. He also referred to leaving some additional property to THH.

Thanks for gift of Movement in plants.

Plans botanical research in Brazil.

Hermann von Jhering is conducting experiments on snakes.

WB obliged to work as newspaper correspondent.

Plans breeding experiments on dimorphic plants.

Has sent FM’s account of Pandanus and Oxalis to Nature ["Leaves injured at night by free radiation", Nature 24 (1881): 459].

Is crossing heterostyled plants.

Hopes to get his notes on bloom together.

Thanks HH for a newspaper containing an article of interest.

Reports that a living frog was found in a lump of coal.

Only 270 copies of Movement in plants remain. Suggests printing another 250 and then breaking up type. If CD agrees, has he any corrections?

Sends a copy of Earthworms.

Wishes to draw up a new will; outlines the changes to be made in the provisions.

Hooker would be very glad to see the mountain plants Fd’AF has collected.

Hooker says huge cypress trunks have been found buried in the ground [in the Azores]; the site needs to be described and investigated. CD suggests collecting earth from same bed to see whether any seeds have remained viable.

Observed a beetle carrying a long worm.

Sending some Hudson’s Bay mosquitoes because of a letter of CD’s quoted in Evening Standard, 5 Sept 1881.

Discusses financial affairs.

Drafting new will as CD requested.

Sends preserved pitchers and figure of Dischidia rafflesiana, a rare plant from East Bengal, which GK and the late John Scott had tried in vain to cultivate.

JBI’s observations on bees and wasps. The hexagonal cells made by solitary queen wasps do not fit explanation in Origin.

Quotes from a Fritz Müller letter of 9 Aug supporting CD’s views that leaves position themselves at night so as to minimise heat loss by radiation. It is a new fact to CD that leaves take different positions at different seasons.

CD interested in JBI’s observations of behaviour of bees. Finds his criticism about hexagonal cells made by queen wasps a good one. Cannot remember how he got out of the difficulty.

His book on worms to be published soon.

E. A. Darwin has died after short illness.