Thanks WED for a present.

Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s Reign of law [1867].

Is busy revising proofs [of Variation].

Discusses the orchid specimens received from MTM. Remarks on the self-sterility of Cypripedium and other orchids.

Anxious for news about baby.

Will remember to save all foreign plants for JDH when he has finished experimenting with them.

Thanks WO for information on inheritance of deficient phalanges [Variation 2:73] and for interesting case of the occurrence of anomalous fingers and teeth in twins[Variation 2: 253].

Has learned that Fritz Müller is HM’s brother.

Rejoices over baby’s improvement.

Horace Darwin has intermittent fever.

Thanks JDH for page of the Farmer, a great service.

R. Trail’s potato grafting case would be of extreme value for demonstrating Pangenesis. [See Variation 1: 395.]

C. Nägeli’s long letter on his four years of work on Hieracium appears to be valuable. Nägeli wants a set of British forms in exchange for German ones.

Sends note on a new genus of Umbelliferae (Drusa) in Canaries; speculates on origin.

Thanks for his long letter on morphological laws.

Agrees with JDH about Anderson-Henry. He has however described in detail a curious case of the ovaria of Rhododendron directly affected by foreign pollen, like the Chamaerops and date-palm case.

Has sent JDH’s Genera plantarum to Fritz Müller who finds it useful and offers to supply JDH with Brazilian plants.

Sends Fritz Müller’s address; has sent him Insular floras [pamphlet].

Glad to hear Wallace is contender for Gold Medal. Has highest esteem for his extraordinary talents.

Thanks for H. Barkly’s letter from Mauritius.

Glad to see HB takes same view as CD about bones of deer [see 5395].

Objections to continental extension theory.

Progress [on Variation] very slow.

Obliged for case of grafted ash.

Asks about pods of Arabis.

Would like to borrow Maillet [Telliamed (1750)].

It was foolish of him to say a word about continental extensions so briefly that he thinks JDH misunderstood him.

CD has come to think a name better than "Pangenesis" is needed. Asks GHD to get a suggestion from a classics scholar. "Cell-genesis wd be perfect if it cd be put into Greek."

CD probably advised omitting mention of experiments suggesting that oxlips, cowslips, and primroses could be produced from the seed of a single plant

Leaves for London tomorrow. Hopes to see JDH there or perhaps at Kew, but doubts the latter. He is not strong and has a good deal to do.

Disappointed at not seeing JDH in London.

Prefers not to send her proof-slips of the present chapter [of Variation], which has been enormously altered, but will be glad to have her see slips and revises in future.

Pleased JDH will come next Saturday.

Asks him to return Adam Bede.