Account of the birth of Leonard Darwin, during which he administered the chloroform to Emma.

Continues the water-cure.

Has begun work on fossil cirripedes.

Announces birth of his fourth son, Leonard.

Describes result of his dissection of one of JSB’s cirripede specimens, "now a hundred fold more instructive". Awaits fossils from Copenhagen Chalk for comparison with British specimens. Asks permission for J. de C. Sowerby to draw specimens.

Thanks for fossil cirripede specimens. "Yours is incomparably the finest collection in the world of fossil Secondary cirripedes."

Thanks JSB for specimens of fossil Balanidae.

Thanks JS for fossil cirripedes. Discusses the specimens. Sends thanks to J. G. Forchhammer for specimens.

Thanks him for cirripede specimens. Discusses RF’s collection.

Mentions illness.

Describes work on fossil cirripedes. Asks to keep specimens somewhat longer.

Hooker’s imprisonment.

Birth of Leonard Darwin.

Barnacles will never end; on to fossils.

Asks permission to clean specimen. Describes research on cirripedes.

RF’s specimens have arrived.

Because of health, CD will postpone coming to London until all drawings are finished.

Asks JdeCS, if he is able "with any honesty", to "purloin" for him a proof-sheet of Frederick Dixon’s plate with cirripedes [in Geology and fossils … of Sussex (1850)].

Requests statement of total owed to JdeCS as a guide to the future.

Read letter from CD offering a monograph of British fossil cirripedes.

Regrets delay in sending pamphlets for JDD.

Thanks him for information concerning cirripedes.

Sends thanks to Charles Pickering for information about plant distribution.

Discusses boring species of cirripedes.

Believes Harry D. S. Goodsir mistaken about parasites on Balanus ["Observations on organs of generation in Crustacea", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 36 (1843–4): 183–6]. In fact parasites are the males of the species.

Is sending JSB sponges.

He returns the Plumularia on which the beautiful Scalpellum ornatum was attached. [See 1229.]

Has lost a good many days and will need another fortnight to finish the pedunculate fossil cirripedes. The Palaeontographical Society will publish the fossil species. "If I was but better in health, I shd work quicker."

Explains that he is working on recent and fossil Cirripedia, and asks if WD can aid him with specimens of Roemer’s Pollicipes species.

Comments on paper by CHLW.

Considers effect of heat on bending of strata, and producing volcanoes and elevation.

"I can have no doubt that speculative men, with a curb on, make far the best observers."

Comments on CL’s Anniversary address [Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 6 (1850): xxvii–lxvi]. Notes CL’s criticism of R. I. Murchison’s catastrophism.

Asks whether there are Lower Cretaceous beds in Scandinavia. Thinks Leopold von Buch must have neglected them.

Results of crosses in Phlox.