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

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.

Asks to have one pair of rabbits sent to him; is abandoning experiments with the rats.

Observations on earthworm activity in old furrows on a hillside.

Notes the occurrence in U. S. of "vermiform piles" produced by earthworms.

Accedes to CD’s request to let Appleton have a set of stereotypes of the 6th English edition of Origin at a little above cost.

Exchange of photographs among CD, AM, and Philip G. King.

CD’s views, on which he has lectured, will succeed with time.

Joachim Barrande’s refutation cannot be impartial because he is a devout Catholic.

Many young French naturalists support CD but are silent for fear of their jobs. Houget has been reprimanded for his Darwinism.

Sends a communication [missing] from Gov. J. H. Lefroy of Bermuda.

Praise for Descent.

An engineer in India, who has read Descent, sends observations on native racial characters.