Writes as a trustee of the Down Friendly Society. Hopes the Society will soon be permitted to distribute its surplus funds, as there is agitation to dissolve the club and divide its assets.

GHD’s article will not do. It is too long and the denial seems weak and confused; also, it ought to be in the form of a letter to the editor. Encloses draft of the sort of letter of denial he thinks GHD should write.

Thanks JDH for his and Huxley’s countering of the false attack on George [Darwin] by Mivart. Encloses a note to Mivart on which he asks JDH’s opinion.

Does not think that publishing his letters as advertisement [for potato experiments] would help JT’s cause, so CD cannot give permission.

Regrets that he has neither the time nor health to undertake crossing experiments with JT’s specimens. Discusses crossing varieties.

Sends £25 subscription, though he is not a churchman.

Thinks it would be a serious mistake for TB to give up his profession. How the Royal Society will distribute funds is as yet very uncertain, and CD feels that TB may well receive no support as his proposal is too theoretical.

Pleased that a Grace has been submitted to confer on CD an honorary LL.D.; hopes his health will permit him to attend the ceremony.

Thanks RLT for his work, Diseases of women.

CD is also interested by RLT’s letter reporting a cat rearing chickens. "What a wonderful instinct is the maternal one."

Pleased the Senate has passed Grace conferring his LL.D.

James Caird does not think Torbitt’s success justifies application to Government. Torbitt has four acres planted with seedlings. Has sent back CD’s £100. Shall CD insist that he keep it?

Sends an enclosure [a statement of CD’s finances and estimate of the inheritance his children may expect] for HD and Ida to read; CD very pleased to be able to leave his children comfortably provided for.

CD would like questions on consanguineous marriages inserted in the Census to ascertain effects, if any, on fertility.

Comments on WRG’s MS on ratio of the sexes at birth.

Offers to send J. M. A. Thury’s paper ["Loi de production des sexes", Arch. Sci. Phys. & Nat. 18 (1863): 91–8].

Encloses a letter [7617] to be forwarded to the author of the review of Descent in Pall Mall Gazette.

Inquires about the effect of turf covering on the rate of disintegration of rock.

Comments on HM’s paper ["Anwendung der Darwin’schen Lehre auf Bienen", Verh. Naturhist. Ver. preuss. Rheinland 29 (1872): 1–96];

sexual selection in bees.

Encloses account on habits of Bombus.

Pollination and floral structure of Lathyrus. Asks where bees bite through the flowers.

CD wishes to acquire a piece of JL’s land.

Mourns death of Lyell. Wonders whether enough men of science were attached to him to raise a fitting testimonial.

Expresses his feelings following the death of Charles Lyell.