His father has gone to Egypt.

Tells of visit to circus.

Has some birds which are allegedly the result of a cross between a common fowl and a guinea-fowl; describes their appearance, and will provide CD with likenesses.

Sends a pamphlet [not identified] in which he applies the principle of natural selection to the working of legislative institutions.

Discusses his paper on mimicry and natural selection [Land and Water 9 (1871): 321]. Believes natural selection tends to fix mimetic characters rigidly.

Louis Agassiz is going on a voyage to the Falklands, and BJS wonders whether it is worth while telling him of the Gallegos fossil bed so that he can investigate.

William [Hooker] is in first division of matriculation list of London University.

Other family news.

No news on Ayrton affair. Ayrton has taken staff appointments out of JDH’s hands.

Asks whether CD knows about Zizania aquatica – can hardly believe it is an annual.

Wants references to the work of Julius von Haast and James Hector on New Zealand glaciers, which CD mentions in the Origin [6th ed., p. 335].

Discusses the roles of natural and sexual selection in producing mimicry, and the problem of explaining the cause of the first mimetic variation; considers the ideas of A. R. Wallace and Fritz Müller on this problem.

Heartily glad about Willy.

Has never had Zizania.

Still has Leersia. He cannot make the beast produce.

What slow coaches the Ministers are about the Ayrton affair.

Reminisces on the evening he, B. J. Sulivan, and J. C. Wickham from the Beagle spent with CD, nearly ten years ago.

Hopes the mission at Tierra del Fuego will not "improve" the people to extinction.

Gives information on recent editions of Lyell’s works.

Has corrected last page of index of Origin [6th ed.]. Sends instructions.

Calls CD’s attention to Andrew Jackson Davis’ work on the origin of man,

philosophy of evil,

the mode of producing rain at pleasure,

and who and what is God.

Expands on a letter to Nature concerning the probability of the survival of a new variety in a given species. Differs with [F. Jenkin’s] argument, to which CD had agreed to a greater extent than JB feels it deserved.

CD is grateful for the eulogy in Index [no. 104]. Many would disagree. It is the fashion to say he is a good observer with "an utterly illogical mind".

CD believes that StGJM has been unfair in his criticisms and has misrepresented him; he begs him not to write again. "Agassiz has uttered splendid sarcasms on me, but I still feel quite friendly towards him. M. Flourens cd. not find words to express his contempt of me: Pictet & Hopkins argued with great force against me: Fleeming Jenkin covered me with first-rate ridicule; & his crticisms were true & most useful: but none of their writings have mortified me as yours have done …" [See 8154.]

Requests that JM make stereotype plates of 6th edition of Origin available to D. Appleton. This will be last edition and CD is "extremely anxious" to spread his views.

Asks her to probe worm-holes on grassy slopes with a knitting needle to ascertain whether they come out at right angles to the slope or to the horizon.

Gives results of probing worm-holes with wire.

Thanks for observations on angles of worm-holes on slopes. William Darwin is observing at Stonehenge. She is worth her weight in gold.