Two queries on teeth: 1. Is there evidence of inherited peculiarities in milk teeth?

2. Are male incisors longer than female?

Jessie [Wedgwood] says driving in sun made one of her eyes water.

Thanks CD for his kindness and hopes one day to return it.

Finds more and more observations fall in with CD’s theory but still finds it difficult to account for the sudden leaps in the fossil record and to explain why some organisms first appear as such high forms.

Sorry he cannot remember where S. Filippe [San Felipe?] is.

Doubts that bones of ox, sheep, and horse could have been deposited in guano [on coast of Chile], but they would be worth examination.

[Tipped in copy of Origin (1866) with CHM’s bookplate.]

On Haeckel’s Generelle Morphologie; the logical argument for natural selection is still incomplete. THH jumps over the hole by an act of faith.

Expresses his support for new books being sold with the pages cut.

Describes his experiments in fertilising Oncidium flexuosum and comparison with Notylia.

Has been examining Catasetum.

Encloses seeds of two species of Gesneria and describes hairs in the seed capsule. Hairs in other plants seem to have a different function.

Starting tomorrow for a botanical excursion on the Continent.

William Clowes [printer for J. Murray] estimates that Variation will come to a first volume of 648 pages and a second volume of 624 pages – which is too much for volumes the same size as Origin. Murray proposes a larger size.

Sorry about enormous size of Variation MS, but cannot shorten it now. If JM is afraid to publish, CD will consider agreement cancelled. Suggests he ask someone with judgment to read the MS. Has written concluding chapter on man. Whether it will be included depends on size of volume.

Returns some of WBT’s skulls.

His MS is with printer, but book [Variation] will probably not be out until November.

Gives up plan to have Haeckel’s Generelle morphologie translated.

His big book [Variation] has gone to printer. Thinks of adding a chapter on man.

Will order Duke of Argyll’s book [Reign of law (1867)].

"Nature never made species mutually sterile [by selection]; nor will man.–"

Comments on EH’s "great work" [Generelle Morphologie].

An English translation "hopeless".

Asks about EH’s expedition.

MS of Variation sent to printers.

Fritz Müller working on plants.

CD annoyed at large size of Variation. Suggests printing detailed parts in small type. JM can, of course, decline to publish altogether.

Criticisms and comments on JDH’s "Insular floras" in Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1867): 6].

CD should not be discouraged by the bulk of Variation. CD’s suggestion to print technical details in small type is good.

Murray has sent MS to a "man of letters and good information" as an experiment to test its effect. Has no intention of throwing up publication.

Sends paper on new species of Bonatea, to which he has given the name Darwinii.

Has now an extensive collection of insects.

Has discovered moths whose larva cases resemble perfectly the thorns of the Acacia horrida.

Has asked for the head of a Bushman murderer. Difficult to convince authorities of interest of science.

Relieved by JM’s note and by his agreement on type size. Is alarmed by what the verdict [on Variation] of JM’s friend will be. He is not a man of science. An unscientific reader would have condemned the Origin. An eminent semi-scientific man thought the Journal of researches not worth publishing.

Has given CD’s queries about expression to W. H. Stirling. Thomas Bridges, the catechist, had previously answered some questions incompletely [see 2643]; BJS forwards them [see Expression].

BJS answers CD’s query about when some calves show their adult colour.

Responds to CD’s criticisms. JDH is sometimes confused as to what he has borrowed from CD.

MS essay "On esculent fruits" [apparently enclosed in a missing letter].