Asks him to deliver two or three feet of linoleum.

Has received plates. Gives instructions for scale and arrangement of engravings.

Acknowledges presentation copy of publication about the Vega voyage [The voyage of the Vega (1881)].

Thanks for information on inheritance of mental peculiarities in cats.

Discusses books returned

and invites him to Down for a few days.

Regrets not having a duplicate of one of his books to give away. "You will before long no doubt be able to borrow a copy."

"When a man has laboured hard in science & has proved that he is capable of original research, he may [some]times indulge in speculation [&] the public will indulge him. But even in this case it is a common error to speculate too largely, for speculation is far easier than observation or experiments . . ."

CD’s plans have changed. He will be in London the following week and therefore able to call on correspondent.

CD has been a referee for LH’s Nile geology paper [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 145 (1855): 105–38]. Praises the work but offers criticism not in his report: Joseph Russegger’s statement about the baked Upper Sandstone deposit cannot be believed; LH’s paper is too long.

Regrets that he has not published his information on superficial beds except in abbreviated form, on p. 143 of Volcanic islands.

Thanks for Supplement to SPW’s Manual of the Mollusca [1851–6]. Praises SPW’s work. "What an amount of labour is condensed in your little volume! … I fully believe & hope that you will reap the only reward worth having, the consciousness that you have done good service to the cause of Science."

Asks how many kinds of supposed birds’ footprints were found in North American sandstone.

Making progress on second edition of Origin.

Is glad to read Greg’s remarks on Origin. Discusses MS Greg has sent for review on proportion of sexes at birth.

Comments on LH’s "Anniversary Address of the President", [Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 17 (1861): xxxi–lxxii]. Notes LH’s comments on metamorphism, antiquity of man, and the Bible. Thanks him for his remarks on Origin.

Thanks for gift of treatise on Coelenterata [? Manual of the sub-kingdom Coelenterata (1861)]. "… I was but lately wishing to read some treatise up to the present mark, on these animals. I have cut the pages & can clearly see that your work will much interest & instruct me".

CD is collecting [for Variation] all accounts of what some call "sports" and what he calls "bud-variations". He asks whether very slight variations in fruit appear suddenly by buds, or whether only rather strongly marked varieties thus appear.

Thanks for letter [missing] and help.

Asks about the effect said to be produced on the stock by a graft.

Health prevents accepting TR’s invitation.

Answers TR’s query about stomata.

CD will use "weeping trees" as an example of how inexplicable the laws of inheritance are, and asks for facts on character of seedlings.

Thanks for information on weeping trees; asks for a few weeping elm seeds.

The double peach is in flower; the almond has not flowered; will beg a specimen of fruit later.

Has been unwell.

Tells of Hooker’s admiration for TR’s articles.

Is sending photographs of the niata skull [requested in 4082]. W. H. Flower reports that he could have a cast made for £3.3s.0d.