Answers CD’s question on whether any female birds regularly sing.

Sends graft-hybrid notice.

Is confirmed about the bending of the fly orchid pollinia. [See "Fertilisation of orchids", Collected papers 2: 141.]

Going to the Gold Coast. Will collect plants for Kew.

Offers his services. Particularly interested in making inquiries for CD about the human race.

Regrets he cannot get to Down.

Trip with Huxley was perfect.

At Torquay later he had a lecture on "Kent’s hole" from Joseph Pengelly.

George Bentham acknowledges himself unreservedly a convert to Darwinism. Many will still cling to a "rag of protection, but will eventually haul it down".

A. Murray’s later parts better than first [? Geographical distribution of mammals (1866)].

Wallace’s paper shows great ability.

Disgusted with [Duke of Argyll’s] Reign of law.

His depression and exhaustion.

Wilson Armistead’s death cut short his work on galls, but Müller is continuing it.

In China only uni-coloured animals are sold for meat, the rest are killed in the litter.

Answers CD’s queries on sexual characters and differences among the Urodela.

Is interested in the relationship of pectoral and pelvic limbs in man and apes and has looked at reptiles and amphibians to find traces of the earlier conditions of the limbs.

Asks whether CD knows any instances of deformities or pathological conditions occurring simultaneously in both sets of limbs.

HWB thinks he can buy specimens of male and female insects at Mr Janson’s.

Has sent the Registrar General’s Report which shows proportion of male to female births in every county.

Consanguineous marriages.

Will obtain information on sheep.

Is interested in CD’s remarks on role of pollen in modifying ovarium. Sends his own observations on numerical relations of stamens and pistils to divisions in the ovarium.

Will answer CD’s queries from Africa.

Reports extreme amazement of some natives in Gabon upon seeing a white man for the first time.

Sex ratios in cattle and sheep.

On structure of Crustacea; size of claws [see Descent 1: 330–1].

CD’s book taking on famously. AG’s review in Nation [see 5921] and preface to American edition.

Describes change of plumage in chickens in order to be sure he is clear about the age of chickens on which CD wants information. Encloses feathers to illustrate changes.

Sends specimens selected by H. W. Bates.

Among the Lamellicornes the family Dynastidae have most instances of presence of stridulating organs; Frederick Smith says that in Hymenoptera female Mutilla has stridulating faculty in high degree.

[Itemised bill for Coleoptera specimens enclosed.]

Refers to letter from John Wright offering to help CD on his queries about deerhounds and sexual preferences.

More details about a terrier bitch previously referred to [letter missing].

Will be glad to see Miss Wedgwood’s MS on Wesley.

The clichés of Fritz Müller’s work [Für Darwin] have arrived.