Referring to CD’s passage on monkeys’ acquiring taste for tea, coffee, and tobacco, AN tells of three monkeys he kept in Australia that developed strong taste for rum and smoking tobacco without being taught in any way [see Descent, 2d ed., p. 7 n.].

Has seen Ogle. His subject [olfactory nerve tissue and absorption of odours] has often occupied JT’s attention.

Thanks for Descent.

Reveals that it is his own family that has the movable scalp.

The Franco-Prussian war has held up the publication of the 17th and last volume of the Prodromus.

Reminds CD of earlier promise to permit extracts of Descent to be translated and published in EA’s Revue Scientifique once entire work is printed. Book appeared weeks ago, so EA again requests permission. Revue has been appearing irregularly owing to war with Germans.

JM will print 2000 more copies of Descent as a second edition [issue]. Profits should be large as expenses are small.

Comments on points made in Hensleigh Wedgwood’s letter [7470] on moral sense in Descent.

Answers CD’s letter [7560], on points of agreement between them, the chief one being the sympathy which man has with his fellows. Disagrees however with CD’s "principle" of the painful feelings of dissatisfied instinct.

Clarification of the supra-condyloid foramen in humans and animals.

Relation of surplus vigour of males to sexual selection.

Very glad about profits of book. Glad CD flummoxed Mivart.

Requests permission to quote from CD’s letters to Charles Boner in her edition [of Memoirs and letters of Charles Boner (1871)].

Has received CD’s new book [Descent].

Will try to get answer to CD’s queries on Laura Bridgman.

Admiration for vol. 2 of Descent, and plans for his review of it for the Academy [2 (1871): 177–82].

News of his new residence.

His previous account of Phascolarctos was based on notes made at the time of observation.

His report of the successful adoption of a koala infant by a cat comes from a trustworthy observer.

Recounts case of parrot whose talking seems to show "power of connecting definite sounds with definite ideas" [see Descent, 2d ed., p. 85 n.].

Has not seen CD’s daughter yet. Hopes the fine weather will continue while she is there [in Bournemouth].

Case of cat transmitting a habit to her offspring.

Encloses an article he wrote for the Scotsman [9 Mar 1871, p. 5].

Wishes he had time to write a critique of Descent. There is evidence of design and benevolence in nature. Beauty cannot be accounted for by natural selection.

Is leaving for Ningpo; asks CD for another copy of his [Queries about expression], which he will try to answer.

Comments on various points in Descent: proportion of sexes, moral sentiments in animals, etc. Encloses "packet of data" [missing].

Thanks CD for Descent.

Sends a copy of his oratio inauguralis on De harmonie van het dierlijke leven [1848] in which he espoused evolution, but did not see the influence of natural selection.