JDH recounts circumstances of his receiving Star of India (K.C.S.I.).

Asks if phosphoric acid could have killed Drosera he received in a matchbox.

Concerning the publication of a French edition of Coral Reefs.

Has no objection to the flattering wish of the Cologne Gazette [to publish a translation of "Sketch of an infant", Collected papers 2: 191–200], but wishes the editor had first read the article. Still doubts it was worthy of admission to Mind.

States that the sheep of the Cape will produce twins only when herbage is plentiful before rutting-time.

Makes some observations on bustards and baboons.

Asks permission for French translation [of "Biographical sketch of an infant"].

Advises correspondent on adopting a career; "each person shd. follow his natural bent & improve his special abilities".

Strongly recommends study of J. S. Mill’s Logic.

His own zeal for science was most stimulated by Herschel’s Introduction to the study of natural philosophy.

CD has written to [Charles] Wyville Thomson in favour of PPCH’s request [for duplicates of Pycnogonida collected by the Challenger expedition], and hopes it will be successful.

Emperor of Brazil continues to press JDH for a meeting with CD.

JDH’s daughter, Harriet, marries W. T. Thiselton-Dyer.

Requests duplicates of [H. M. S.] Challenger Pycnogonidae.

Asks for a copy [of an unknown item] to be sent to Down.

Having just read Climbing plants, wishes CD to have enclosed pamphlets, one on cucumbers from 20 years ago, and another on movement in vegetables, also very old.

Reports an annual bean plant that formed a tuber and is now growing in the second year.

Thanks OB for his work on Schopenhauer [Arthur Schopenhauer. Beitrag zu einer Dogmatik der Religionslosen (1877)]

and for his remarks on bees and clover. When CD spoke, last spring, of the few seeds produced by red clover, he supposed it was due to rarity of humble-bees.

Criticises Herbert Spencer’s Principles of sociology, particularly for its treatment of the family, for its superficiality, and for its dependence on J. F. McLennan’s views on exogamy. Americans are coming to see Spencer’s ideas as too broad.

Thanks for CD’s £5 contribution towards Jules Michelet’s tomb.

Has heard through Asa Gray of CD’s interest in his work on Lithospermum and Oxalis. Thinks dimorphism in Oxalis is but early stage toward complete separation of sexes.

Explains the delay in publishing [Forms of flowers].

CD interested in EK’s argument against belief that sense of colour has been recently acquired by man. Describes his observations of the difficulty his own children had in distinguishing, or naming, colours.

Adds that it appeared to him the gustatory sense of his children, when young, differed from that of grown-up persons.

Has not heard from Appleton about an American edition [of Forms of flowers]. Asks how many copies Murray is printing.