Discusses CD’s and Mrs Gray’s health.

Comments on some climbing plants.

Praises Wallace’s article applying natural selection to man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].

Discusses the reported sterility of the flowers of Voandzeia and Amphicarpaea.

Feels the ending of slavery is worth the cost of the Civil War.

Congratulates CD on the Copley Medal.

Is making inquiries on the habits of American cuckoos and sends a letter from Henry Bryant on that subject.

Discusses the Civil War.

Encloses letter from W. H. Leggett containing observations on Amphicarpaea.

Is sending his monograph ["A revision and arrangement of the North American species of Astragalus and Oxytropis", Proc. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1863): 188–236].

Death of Francis Boott.

U. S. is now determined to do away with slavery.

Describes the flower and mode of action of a particular orchid.

Has been examining Spiranthes and is experimenting to see whether insects are necessary for its fertilisation.

It seems that Oncidium is designed so as not to be fertilised.

Review of Spencer was by Chauncey Wright.

Will get a note on John Scott’s paper off to Sillimans Journal [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 39 (1865): 101–10].