Thanks for Trox beetles which have been forwarded [to London], but unfortunately CD has no microscope here. Is "in despair how to observe them … they sham dead" and are not inclined to stridulate.

Encloses seeds from Fritz Müller, of a species of Passiflora, fertilised by a humble-bee.

Asks whether JDH can send seeds of Hibiscus africanus and of Nolana prostrata raised at Kew.

On birds erecting feathers.

Comments on production of buds in Cytisus.

Discusses case of rabbit-breeding which affected subsequent progeny of female.

Thanks WWR for information on the Nehro idea of beauty and other facts relating to expression.

Congratulates BJS on his K.C.B.

In autumn he will publish a book partly on man [Descent], which he expects "many will decry as very wicked".

Thinks the success of the Tierra del Fuego mission is wonderful.

Discusses the reasons for inserting questions on consanguineous marriages in the forthcoming Census.

Thanks JDH for offer of lilies.

The paper on orchids is by Hermann Müller [Verh. Naturhist. Ver. Preuss. Rheinlande & Westphalens 25 (1868): 1–62], on Platanthera and Epipactis.

Cites another work by P. Rohrbach [Über den Blüthenbau (1866)].

MS [of Descent] ready for printer.

Has read Bentham’s last Linnean Society [Presidential] Address [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1870): lxxiv–xciv] with great interest.

Thanks BJS for a journal and an interesting letter.

Requests seeds of Nolana prostrata & Hibiscus Africanus, which have been matured in Germany or in the more Southern parts of Europe.

MS of Descent, except last chapter, is ready to send to printer. Hopes the printer will be able to keep him steadily at work correcting proof. "It drives me mad to change from job to job."

Encloses a query from Camille Dareste [see 7262] about the niata ox skull CD gave to the museum [of the Royal College of Surgeons].

Thinks well of Claparède’s criticism; worth publishing as an answer to Wallace. Bates thinks Wallace’s heterodox views have done mischief to the cause of evolution. Wallace thinks Claparède’s article very weak, CD concludes, because Claparède has arrived at an unpleasant judgment very much like Lyell’s about Bentham’s address.

CD would wager Lyell lately has said something about European Proteaceae.

Does not remember anyone before Wallace on Sumatra and Java.

CD does not think he has a chance against Brandt in French Academy election.

Has not heard of Curtis on Dionaea.

Duke of Argyll is clever, but it is a sin to speak of a real old Duke as a "little beggar".

"My theology is a simple muddle: I cannot look at the Universe as the result of blind chance, yet I can see no evidence of beneficent Design."

On spontaneous generation and Bastian.

WBT may use any of CD’s material for the new edition of his poultry book. Hopes WBT will keep firmly to his idea of working out pigeon variation.

Asks AG to identify the species of Triton Mr Ford has drawn.

AG’s help has turned CD’s chapter on fishes and reptiles from "much the worst" into "one of the best" [in Descent].

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

Writes concerning the questions on consanguineous marriages which CD wishes to have inserted into the Census. Discusses the form the questions might take and the value of the information that would be gained from them.

Sends list of his publications.

Is grateful for interest QdeB has taken in his election [to Académie Française].

Thanks Quatrefages for his work on species. Explains that he received the Wollaston Medal for his three geological works.