Mentions seeing GHKT at BAAS meeting at Oxford [1847].

Reports he is working on variation of species. Asks about varieties of pigeons and other poultry, and asks for specimens from Ceylon.

Hopes GHKT will publish on variations in plant species at different elevations. Asks about variations among plants on heights of Ceylon.

Promises to publish on the species question.

Asks for pigeons’ skins from India or Ceylon, and for ducks’ skeletons. Mentions help promised by E. F. Kelaart.

Thanks GHKT for letter on plant acclimatisation and variation among alpine and lowland forms in Ceylon.

Is pleased GHKT goes a little way with him.

Has rectified in foreign editions of Origin his omission of an explanation of the failure of many forms to progress;

also has discussion of beauty in MS. Does GHKT really believe Diatomaceae, for instance, were created beautiful so that man, millions of generations later, should admire them through a microscope? CD attributes most of these structures to unknown laws of growth; useful structures are accounted for by natural selection.

Thanks for fact about ducks in Ceylon. Asks for more information.

Pleased by GHKT’s sentence [about Origin].

Refers to his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Asks GHKT to investigate a similar case in Cinchona.

Asks for information concerning heterostyled and dioecious plants.

Asks for any authentic cases of "sports", which CD calls "bud-variations". Flowers introduced from warmer temperate regions are said to be particularly apt to sport in this way.

CD now has proof that Cinchona is dimorphic and that some dimorphic plants are absolutely sterile with their own-form pollen.

Asks GHKT to examine or send pollen specimens of two Ceylon genera.

Thanks GHKT for specimens of Sethia. Discusses functions of their dimorphism for insect fertilisation.

Discusses polymorphism and fertilisation in Lythraceae.

Asks for seed of Limnanthemum.

Describes his interest in galls.

Discusses curious specimens of Gomphia and Lesemia.

Thanks GHKT for Limnanthemum seed.

Comments on his view of algal reproduction.

Discusses flower of Cassia.

Sends photograph of himself.

Asks GHKT about eyes of screaming elephants.

Asks whether mane in male of Macacus silenus protects it from bites or is merely ornamental.

GHKT should not take more trouble about human expression. Discusses contraction of orbicular muscles in elephants.

Asks about colour of first plumage of breeds of Ceylon fowls in which hens alone are coloured.

Has black-boned cocks and hens that show the characteristic that Edgar Layard thought peculiar to the female line. Will provide any particulars that CD wants.

Thanks GHKT and S. O. Glenie for information about fowls.

Asks him to thank E. L. Layard for trouble taken.

Says Zoological Society "very foolishly" wants no specimens of domestic varieties [from Ceylon].

Encloses Queries about expression.

Relates some observations on the expression of elephants; they do not cry unless the eye is hurt or struck. "Perhaps Mr Darwin will like to know the above."

Discusses experiments in breeding fowls.

Comments on letter from S. O. Glenie [see 6440] concerning the eyes of trumpeting elephants.

Thanks for specimens [of insects].

Wonders whether difference between male and female plays part in fertilisation of fig.

Flowers of Oxalis sensitiva, sent long ago, are trimorphic and cleistogamic.