Thanks WED for sending leaves and making observations on how earthworms drag them into their burrows.

Doubts justice of fierce review against J. Geikie’s book [Prehistoric Europe (1881)] in Nature [by W. B. Dawkins, 23 (1881): 309–10], but if reindeer and hippopotamus have really been found in close contact in same bed – "it tells horribly against interglacial periods".

Island life continues to stimulate: Wallace ignores effects of glaciers on alpine flora and generally exaggerates those of débâcles and wind dispersal. CD encourages JDH to prepare a geographical address including history of geographical distribution.

Describes lecture at Royal Institution by J. S. Burdon Sanderson on movement of plants and animals; JSBS’s preliminary part was so long that he never got to the plants.

Comments on the triumph of the ladies in the voting at Cambridge.

Mentions F. Galton’s visit to Down, a call on the Huxleys, and a visit with the Duke of Argyll.

Tells a story about the absent-mindedness of Burdon Sanderson.

Obliged for potatoes. Has instructed that they be planted and labelled.

Comments on HMW’s discovery concerning growth of hair on human ears. Asks permission to publish fact.

Encourages HMW’s study of growth of hair on ears. Recommends he publish findings in Nature.

Comments on facts about goatsucker and dorkings.

Reports splendid cases of "paraheliotropism" which he now believes is one of the commonest movements of plants.

Obliged for extract from Gardeners’ Chronicle about Russian wheat. "It is a capital instance of one var. gradually beating out another."

Cannot remember where he put G. Henslow’s note [on the cotyledon of grass embryos].

Vivisection; CD’s exchange with Holmgren.

CD will not permit publication of his previous letter on vivisection.

Discusses his investments.

P.S. on earthworms.

Responds to comments on geology of Florida.

Discusses coral reefs and paper by John Murray ["On the structure and origin of coral reefs and islands", Proc. R. Soc. Edinburgh 10 (1880): 505–18].

Comments on AA’s paper ["Paleontological and embryological development", Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 29 (1880): 389–414].

Passage in first edition of Origin, [p. 184] on bears rendered larger and more aquatic by selection was omitted from subsequent editions on advice of Richard Owen. Has always regretted following that advice.

Copies of FD’s paper have arrived ["The theory of growth", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 18 (1881): 406–19]. Does he want them dispatched?

CD defends English physiologists on vivisection.

Some papers have arrived for FD.

Comments on the work of Phillipe van Tieghem who evidently knows nothing of insectivorous plants.

Leslie Stephen’s visit to Down went off well.

Wishes AE every success in his scientific studies.

Sends £90 [for experiments on potatoes]. Sorry JT cannot get his varieties well enough known to ensure large sale.

Thanks FD for his excellent corrections [to MS of Earthworms].

Is sending chapter [of Earthworms] for FD to look over.

Comments on FD’s work on movements of mould.

Is glad to hear about Julius von Sachs and the circumnutation theory.