Wants his fowl MS.

Will shortly return WBT’s skulls.

Encloses some poultry feathers.

Will read over and return CD’s MS on fowls. Has been delayed by an eye injury.

Asks for return of page about pigeon crossing.

Will return page on pigeons.

Has concluded his crossing experiments and found no trace of hybrid sterility or loss of fertility.

The Field is publishing a series of papers on different pigeon varieties [24 (1864): 366, 395, 459; 25 (1865): 115, 139, 155, 228, 258].

Asks for WBT’s help in arranging for woodcuts to illustrate pigeon chapters of Variation.

Sends copies of the Field containing all the pigeon articles [see 4785].

Luke Wells will undertake engravings for Variation.

Arrangements for woodcuts for Variation.

WBT’s excellent article on crossing.

WBT’s eye is getting on very well.

Enclosure comments on a note to folio 1 [of CD’s MS on variation], WBT thinks his works not worth citing: his edition of the Poultry book was never completed and Profitable poultry is out of print.

Instructions for Luke Wells about woodcuts for Variation.

Fowl MS has arrived safely.

Sends pigeon MS for WBT’s perusal.

Further instructions for Luke Wells.

MS [of CD’s pigeon chapter] arrived safely.

Pigeon and poultry engravings [for Variation].

CD has asked him to supervise drawings of pigeons and fowls [for Variation]. Sends estimates for drawings and engravings by artists who do such work for the Field.

Concerning an illustration for CD’s book.

Has lost time through illness.

Suggests an experiment to see whether the progeny of a pigeon cross are affected by a previous impregnation.

WBT will try experiment for CD if Mr Zurhorst cannot do it.