CD’s observations on the power of movement and transmission of motor impulses in plants. If RLT succeeds with the tails of mice, it will be "a beautiful little discovery"; CD will enjoy it the more "because some German sneered at natural selection and instanced the tail of the mouse" [see 10013].

Asks to borrow specimens of sessile cirripedes from Museum of Royal College of Surgeons.

Is glad ARW will attend to vote for Lankester [at the Linnean Society].

Has signed certificates.

Has signed enclosure [Royal Society nomination for McLachlan] with pleasure.

His specimen catalogue has not been returned from Cambridge museum. If not lost, will answer query.

Discusses spider specimens.

Pigeons’ skins dispatched today.

Sends MS about pigeons.

"I have always been inclined to think that sparrows were acute & crafty birds, but you certainly show that they are Fools, & if they go on behaving in so idiotic a manner, you will do quite right to expose their conduct in some public Journal!--"

Has not yet received letter [about Cambridge honorary LL.D.].

Wishes to propose John Lubbock as a member of the Entomological Society.

Asks for B. H. Hodgson’s pamphlet on sheep ["Tame sheep and goats", J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 16 (1847): 1003–26]. Asks for odd numbers of GRW’s work [A natural history of the Mammalia (1846–8)]. Regrets that this work has stopped.

Thanks ADeB for sending him Botanische Zeitung, but asks him to send it no more, as CD takes it regularly and has procured the volumes from the beginning.

"I do not know whether the enclosed will be of any use to you.– I can say nothing of your fitness for the desired office, as I know nothing whatever of its duties.

I am sincerely sorry to hear of Mr F. Smith’s death."

Is sorry that any person has misunderstood his intentions. JEG read his papers on cirripedes at the Zoological Society without intending to interfere with CD’s work; he merely wished to record his old observations, made before CD commenced his study, and thought that by so doing he was helping CD. [See "Description of a new species of Anatifa" and "On Thaliella", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1848): 44.]

It had been suggested to CD that JEG intended to anticipate some of his work on the Cirripedia. CD doubted this because JEG had suggested that CD commence the work and has assisted throughout; however, CD sought assurances regarding JEG’s intentions as he wished that "what little novelty there yet remained in the subject, should be the reward of my work". CD apologises for having spoken to JEG on the subject and will communicate JEG’s assurances to those who had expressed their opinions regarding JEG’s intentions.

Asks for identification of an Oxalis flower.

Thanks ADeB for sending specimens of Utricularia to Francis [Darwin]. Urges him to publish his observations, because Utricularia differs widely from Drosera. CD has been unable to detect any evidence of true digestion in Utricularia.

Comments on FMB’s book [Treatise on comparative embryology, 2 vols. (1880–1)]. Had already purchased copy. Could second copy be sent to someone else? Fritz Müller?

Thanks HTS for a Dahlia flower, but analogous cases of such "bud-variation" have been observed before.