Has received Chauncey Wright’s article.

Reports on favourable response to AG’s pamphlet.

CD is not surprised at CC’s entire rejection of his views. Agrees that there is no direct proof of unlimited variation. Says natural selection should be viewed as comparable to wave theory of light: it is probable because it groups and explains a host of facts in several fields of science.

Agrees Louis Agassiz’s review [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 30 (1860): 142–55] is not unfair, but Agassiz misunderstands CD. His "categories of thought" are to CD merely empty words.

Thanks GM for his excellent criticisms. His observations on the classification of minerals force him to "own that classification may be closely like that due to descent yet have no relation to it".

Asks whether GM has observed any cases of "bud-variations".

Argument, based on geographical distribution and competition, for a mundane glacial period rather than cooling of one longitudinal belt at a time.

Comments on LH’s "Anniversary Address of the President", [Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 17 (1861): xxxi–lxxii]. Notes LH’s comments on metamorphism, antiquity of man, and the Bible. Thanks him for his remarks on Origin.

Asks whether WBT will read over his MS sketch on poultry when done.

Wants rabbit specimens.

Asks about distribution of Gallus and about description of Gallus temminckii, G. R. Gray.

CD will publish on Primula [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Will DO ask W. H. Fitch to make woodcuts of "pin" and "non-pin" primroses [i.e., long-styled and short-styled forms]? Encloses a sketch.

Lieut. F. W. Hutton’s original review [Geologist 4 (1861): 132–6, 183–8] understands that mutability cannot be directly proved.

CD met Bentham at Linnean Society and asked him to write up his views on mutability.

Opinion of Owen.

Conversation with Lyell on antiquity of man.

Thanks correspondent for book on old bones.

Comments on the great extent of variations and on the acknowledgment of the new idea of greater female variety.

Expresses belief that the glacial period did affect the tropics, though HWB’s arguments have confounded him.

Poses a series of questions concerning sexual selection.

Henslow is dying.

H. W. Bates’s excellent article against glacial period [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. 5 (1860): 352–3] leaves CD "dumbfounded".

H. C. Watson’s hostility.

Thanks for agreeing to read MS.

Outlines poultry breeding experiment he would like to see tried.

Asks for some unspecified items to be sent to him. The Half-lop [rabbit] should be killed, but without damaging the skull. Has not opened the box with skulls yet.

CD never dreamed primroses did not abound with DO; apologises for trouble and sends flowers.

Will repay DO for cost of Cypripedium and for the Dionaea, if any can be got.

Does not think much of the arguments of the Duke [of Argyll], though liberal and complimentary to himself.

THH’s Athenæum letter ["Man and the apes", 30 Mar 1861, p. 433] almost too civil. What a thorn THH must be to Owen.

Thanks for informatiion about birds and for copies of the Cottage Gardener (26 March 1861). Discusses ancestor of domestic fowl.

Details of peculiarities in poultry.

Is examining wild varieties of rabbit.

CD urges HWB to write on his travels;

asks for facts on domestic variations;

is pleased by HWB’s acceptance of the theory of sexual selection.

He still believes in migration from north to south during glacial age.

Hopes Bates will publish a paper on mimicry.