Thanks JL for review [of Orchids, Gard. Chron. (1862): 789–90, 863]; CD published almost by accident, having been led on in part by encouragement from JL.

Son [Leonard] ill with scarlet fever. Also Mrs Darwin.

Intends to give up work on Drosera until Variation is done.

Wife’s health better.

Visited Duke of Argyll.

Thanks CD for Cruciferae diagram; will ponder it.

Staggered by complexity of Welwitschia.

Hopes to have Lythrum hyssopifolium seeds to send soon.

BAAS is meeting in Cambridge and all eminent Cambridge men are wanted present. If his health were reliable, CD would be in chair of Botany and Zoology Section.

PGK’s brother is coming to England and will call on CD.

He is impressed but not absolutely convinced by the Origin.

Raises a question about which CD wrote years ago: why do sheep degenerate in Australia, necessitating periodic importation?

Strongly recommends Condy’s "Ozonised Disinfectant" as a cure for scarlet fever.

Thanks for JDH’s letter [3725].

Has become interested in experimenting on Drosera.

Observations on the ovaria of Cruciferae.

Praises Orchids.

He has finished his work on Quercus.

H. Lecoq has worked on hybridism,

and P. Duchartre on orchid polymorphism.

Asks his opinion of A. C. Ramsay’s glacial lake theory. Encloses Julius Haast’s communication on glacial phenomena.

Would like to go to Cambridge [for BAAS meeting]. Reminisces about his student days.

Pleased that WDF likes his book [Orchids]. At one time CD agreed with Lyell that he was an ass to publish it.

Working on dimorphism and sensibility of other plants.

Acknowledges presentation copy of Orchids.

Asks advice on what to do with all his fossils. Sending various specimens.

Offers to exchange fossils with CD. He has very good series of French and German fossils.

Thanks for Haast’s observations. Particularly glad to get geological evidence of glacial action (in Southern Hemisphere).

Thinks Ramsay’s theory to large extent true, but thinks that in a much disturbed country some lakes would have been formed in depressions.

Last chapter of Orchids opens up a "knotty sort of question about accident or design".

Changes in orchid flowers as they age.

Thinks CD may find trimorphism in Nesaea verticillata.

Encloses MS ["On the American fossil elephant", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1863): 43–114]. Shows persistence of specific characters through glacial period.

Eocene monkeys mistakenly described as pigs.

Encloses MS on observations and experiments on Drosera. JDH’s opinion will help him decide whether to pursue subject in some future year.

Describes experiment on role of labellum in fertilisation of orchids. Asks for information.

Thinks "ozonised fluid" is a pure solution of permanganate of soda. Sends dosage.

J. C. Wickham and Arthur Mellersh are in town and BJS wonders whether there is any chance CD might join them.

Acknowledges 3d edition of Origin.

Praise of Herbert Spencer’s First Principles [1862].