Informs CD that Oxford proposes to confer an honorary degree upon him.

Hears CD may come to Oxford at Commencement to receive an honorary degree. Invites CD, his wife, and daughter to stay at his house. [CD declined Hon. D.C.L. on grounds of ill health.]

Asks CD whether he is far enough along with his new work [Descent] to allow him to announce it as a forthcoming publication in his next quarterly list.

Asks by what action CD believes bee, spider, and fly orchids came to resemble their namesakes

and how the beauty of bivalves could have been produced by natural or sexual selection.

Has completed a memoir on the Aymara Indians of Bolivia [J. Ethnol. Soc. n.s. 2 (1870): 193–305] and is going to lecture on them.

Believes he has data relevant to CD’s work on man.

Orange-tip butterfly at rest imitates a flower.

The argus pheasant cannot be explained by natural selection.

Sends maps of U. S. Far West for CD to follow explorations.

French translation of Orchids is published.

Argus pheasant.

Encloses a copy of a letter he has written to a French geologist. In it he raises objections to evolutionary theory:

why are corals inadequately represented in the fossil record?

How can one explain the widespread appearance and then disappearance of groups like the trilobites?

If Mollusca and Articulata have a common ancestor, why are not ancient forms more akin than present ones?

Will send CD a deerhound puppy.

Reaffirms his statement that dogs in breeding form decided preferences toward each other, based on size, colour, or character.

Reports "shindy" at Oxford over persons proposed for doctorate. Pusey assented to CD’s being "doctored" to keep out seven worse devils.

Copies of the French translation of Orchids were sent to C. V. Naudin, Quatrefages de Bréau, and Charles Martins at CD’s request and to Duchartre, Brongniart, Baillon, Lecoq, Godron, and Alphonse de Candolle on Rérolle’s initiative.

Sends drawings of the foot of chicken showing swimming membrane.

Publication Committee of Zoological Society has granted CD use of woodblock from the Society’s Proceedings.

Two, perhaps all three, doe [rabbits] are sterile after the transfusions; will try another method.

Tells of his health and family matters.

Congratulates CD on being honoured by Oxford.

Discusses the state of Tierra del Fuego and the success of missionaries there.

On behaviour of birds when frightened and when threatening.

Purple Cytisus grafted onto yellow stock produces some yellow flowers.

Mutations in rabbits.

Cites case of variegated leaf form of one plant apparently spreading to a neighbour.

[William Rathbone] Greg is author [of "Failure of ""natural selection"" in the case of man", Fraser’s Magazine 78 (1868): 353–62].

Comments on findings in J. M. Duncan [Fecundity, fertility, sterility and allied topics (1866)].

Saw A. D. Bartlett about monkeys.

Draws CD’s attention to a paper in American Naturalist [3 (1869): 109] describing honey-bees killed by entanglement in pollen-masses of Asclepias.