VOK and his wife walked 25 miles through the Prussian lines to Paris.

Natural history collections undamaged by bombardment, but Edmond Hébert and A. J. Gaudry fear Prussians will rob them.

Several sheets of Descent lost as they passed through the lines.

Discusses publication of Descent. Orders copies of vol. 2 sent to Wallace, Mivart, and F. P. Cobbe.

Will attend Athenaeum and vote for RC.

Thanks CD for copy of Descent. Is considering running for School Board.

Thanks for copy of Descent.

Thanks for presentation copy of Descent.

Mivart’s Genesis of species [1871] is poor.

Mathematical illustrations of Pangenesis at Cambridge.

Wallace’s address on Madeira not convincing ["The President’s Address", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1870): xliv–lxix; A. R. Wallace, Studies scientific and social (1900) 1: 250–66].

Thanks for Descent.

Offers photo of patient with a second small milk-giving nipple on one breast, and of man with bristles on his ears, which come somewhat to a point.

Thanks for new book [Descent].

Has just received copy of CD’s work [Descent].

Can corroborate artificial compression of skull practised by Indians.

May have to modify his earlier published opinions on CD’s views.

A second edition [issue] of Descent may be needed in short time; preparations should be made, and corrections sent to Clowes. Wallace, Mivart, and F. P. Cobbe have been sent copies of both volumes.

Thanks CD for sending his book [Descent].

Thanks for Descent; will forward any information he has after he has studied it.

Instance of inequality in left and right anal appendices of caddis-fly.

JC-B’s MS most useful.

P. Gratiolet’s observations on contraction and dilation of pupils of eye of a person in extreme terror. Has JC-B ever observed this? Expression has been his hobby-horse for 30 years.

Various comments on Descent;

on suicide on Gold Coast;

on mulattoes’ not being prolific.

Thanks for presentation copy of Descent.

Thanks for the gift of the book [Descent].

Thanks for copy of Descent.

Thanks CD for copy of Descent.

Notes the death of Frank Parker [CD’s nephew].

Applauds CD’s expression of dissent from J. S. Mill’s view of differences of mental powers of men and women [Descent 2: 326–9]. Sends some corrections.

Descent publication costs, "including a heavy item of £126 for corrections" have been received. JM can now offer CD 600 guineas for the edition of 2500 copies.

Has devised a respirator for firemen by moistening cotton wool with glycerine and adding charcoal. JT suggests the nose with its hairs and mucus is a respirator that would give protection against diseases caused by floating particles. The presence of hair and mucus is thus explained by CD’s theory.