Sends a model of bee cells "as bad as a Chinese puzzle". [A series of paper cut-out figures.]

Acknowledges receipt of £242 11s. 10d.

Thanks for queen-bee larva and pupa.

Nervous system of Coccus.

Encloses MS by A. R. Wallace. CD has been forestalled. " . . . if Wallace had my MS sketch written out in 1842 he could not have made a better short abstract!" Wallace does not say if he wishes CD to publish MS, but CD will offer to send it to journal.

There is much weight in what RIM says about not breaking up the natural history collection of the British Museum. The botanical collection might be moved to Kew, but CD thinks "it would be the greatest evil which could possibly happen to natural science in this country if the other collections were ever to be removed from the British Museum and Library".

Discusses geometry related to the structure of bees’ cells. Encloses notes and diagrams dealing with intersections of spheres.

Self-fertilisation in Fumariaceae.

[CD note on bees’ visiting some members of Fumariaceae.]

Thanks for hive.

Has started [writing up] pigeons and hopes to have finished with them in a week or two.

Etty [Henrietta Darwin] very ill with diphtheria.

Extremely sorry for trouble he has given about his signature.

One child dangerously ill with diphtheria, another with much fever.

Gives his opinion of the charges against E. W. Lane.

Everything in Wallace’s sketch also appears in CD’s sketch of 1844. A year ago CD sent a short sketch of his views to Asa Gray. Can CD honourably publish his sketch now that Wallace has sent outline of his views? "I would far rather burn my whole book than that he or any man shd. think that I had behaved in a paltry spirit." Does not believe Wallace originated his views from anything CD wrote to him.

Is it fair to take advantage of knowing that Wallace is in the field? Seems hard on CD to lose priority of many years, but does not feel this alters justice of case.

Baby [Charles Waring Darwin] has much fever. Frightened because three children in village have died from scarlet fever.

Profoundly sorry for Lane.

Thanks WDF for facts about call ducks, pigs, and Leicester sheep.

Has been observing and experimenting on the construction of bees’ cells. Thinks he has a theory which simplifies the problem.

Scarlet fever in family; nurse ill.

Death of Charles Waring Darwin [1856–8] from scarlet fever.

JDH’s and Lyell’s kindness [presumably about A. R. Wallace’s letter]. CD can provide a copy of his letter to Asa Gray [about CD’s species theory].

JDH wants papers at once. CD sends Wallace’s paper and CD’s abstract of his letter to Asa Gray. Sends [species] sketch of 1844 with JDH’s notes to assure JDH he had read it.

Communicate papers by CD and A. R. Wallace on "The Laws which affect the Production of Varieties, Races, and Species". Explain that CD and Wallace have, independently and unknown to each other, arrived at the same theory to account for the appearance and perpetuation of specific forms, and that neither has yet published, although CD first sketched his theory in 1839. Give their reasons for arranging the joint presentation.

Baby [Charles Waring Darwin] died of scarlet fever on 28 June. "Fear has almost driven away grief."

Death in family [Charles Waring Darwin]. Illness of children forces him to leave home and interrupt work on pigeons.

Believes that, in Dicentra, Fumaria and Corydalis, flower structures are related directly to visits from bees. Flower stigmas generally are placed in the path of bees.

Has received paper from Wallace on natural selection; has sent abstract of his notions, with Wallace’s paper, to Linnean Society.