Sends report on an infant with congenital heart disease who died at ten months. Post-mortem showed it had the "heart of a fish": two cavities, one auricle and one ventricle.

Has rewritten paper on leaf arrangement after criticism by Royal Society referees. Has found new factor influencing leaf arrangement, i.e., spontaneous variability in the number of vertical leaf-ranks.

Wishes CD could publish Origin with footnotes.

Increases in bird populations: starlings are increasing, but AN cannot give reason; mistletoe-thrush increasing but not ousting song-thrush. Doubts trustworthiness of [George?] Edwards, CD’s authority in Origin on this matter [see Origin, 6th ed., p. 59].

AN opposed to bird protection legislation to prohibit egging. Argues egging does not decrease number of birds.

Will be out of town, so he cannot vote for Henry Parker.

CD ought to come to see his Cetiosaurus, of which he draws a likeness.

Asks for a reference for Charles Pearson, who has applied to be appointed an agent for the Company.

Proposal to collect all of CD’s works in a German edition. Asks CD’s opinion and suggests an outline of volumes.

Lists German sales of various volumes.

Thanks CD for his opinion on egging. Despite the intensity of the practice sufficient eggs always remain to carry on the breed.

Reports the balloting [for Henry Parker at the Athenaeum?] went off just right.

Relates the case of a woman from the Caucasus whose hair would frequently stand on end and who later went insane.

Sends his paper ["Tidal action as a geological cause", Proc. Liverpool Geol. Soc. 2 (1874): 50–72].

Has not yet studied CD’s list of South American molluscs.

"Half an answer" to CD’s query on visit of Sphinx to Hedychium gardnerianum.

Business affairs and family ill health keep him busy.

G. J. Allman will succeed Bentham as President of Linnean Society. Busk has refused.

Huxley is well.

JDH has indoctrinated Sir Stafford Northcote with his merits.

Lyell frail.

Old J. E. Gray goes on publishing.

"Is not [Thomas] Belt splendid!"

On EA’s persecution by new government for liberal–republican position of his Revues; threat to remove him from Faculté de Droit, unless he renounces relations with Revues or changes their politics.

Has reviewed CD’s Orchids.

His note on brain [in man and apes for 2d ed. of Descent] nearly finished.

Has heard nothing about Dohrn.

THH has been invited to lecture in America.

Sends old Japanese picture suggesting evolution, found by Charles Longfellow.

Is pleased to hear CD attended a séance [18 Jan 1874]; asks for his views about communication among spirits.

Is willing to sell the land CD wants for £300.

Hopes to visit CD during a stay in London.

Just back from Gold Coast.

Would like to become a member of the Royal Institution.

His gratitude for CD’s gift. An account of his difficulties with the Zoological Station and his health.

F. M. Balfour has told him that CD would like to see the question of complemental males in cirripedes studied again. AD would like to enter the field and to study the whole morphological development of cirripedes.

Describes the interest in embryological work in Russia and Germany.

Is organising an appeal for the Naples Zoological Station.

Has just read Journal of researches and has been charmed out of his anti-Darwinian prejudice.