Has found the skull of the horned cock.

With regard to CD’s suggestion about the possibility of producing a pigeon breed with differently coloured sexes, WBT reports the results of crossing blue and silver dragons; the silver offspring are almost always hens.

Would like the latest edition of the Origin.

Encloses notes on volume one [of Descent].

Encloses a photograph showing the bleaching effect of the sun’s rays on dun feathers in pigeons.

Comments on HM’s paper ["Anwendung der Darwin’schen Lehre auf Bienen", Verh. Naturhist. Ver. preuss. Rheinland 29 (1872): 1–96];

sexual selection in bees.

Encloses account on habits of Bombus.

Encloses a letter from Lady Bell, which should be burnt when read.

Discusses finances.

Report of yellow fever among Brazilian monkeys probably untrue; his correspondent is only a journalist.

Encloses letter about monkeys allegedly dying from yellow fever.

Sends a map of a field showing the effect of earthworms.

Sends quotation from Armand Trousseau, Lectures on clinical medicine [1868–72] 5: 213, on interruption of menstruation in young girls upon changing schools, as an example of the effect of changed conditions of life.

Asks for investment advice.

Describes her experiences of blushing on her hands.

Extract from the History of the rise and progress of the Killerby, Studley and Warlaby herds of shorthorns by William Carr (1867).

On colours and breeding of rabbits.

Gives lengthy details from his medical experience on how structural and other changes in the parts of the eye are related to lacrimation.

Mentions belief in CD’s views.

Sutton says monkeys often vomit, but cannot say whether they do it voluntarily.

Notes some corrections for 2d ed. of Descent.

Amount of clay present in certain chalk samples.

Discusses problems of obtaining money for the alteration of Down church.

Gladstone’s private secretary [West] has written that the Government plans to alter JDH’s position with regard to the First Commissioner of Works [Ayrton].

Huxley is not better after his Brighton trip.

Worm action at Stonehenge.

The difficulties of incorporating the reorganised chapters of the 6th English edition of Origin into JJM’s translation, which was made from the 5th edition.

Heartily glad about the news of the Ayrton affair development.

Huxley looks very unwell from too much miscellaneous work; CD wishes he could be made a Director General for transference of British Museum and for other scientific work, as JDH suggests.

Further details and measurements of the stones in the courtyard pavement for CD’s investigation of earthworm action.