Sends duplicate of his previous letter [8189]; he addressed it simply to C. Darwin, England, and had no reply.

His book has received bad reviews; therefore CD’s letter cheers him up.

Will himself correct the details on the woodblock CD finds acceptable. The second one followed CD’s instructions, contrary to his own experience.

Believes many of the species and even genera of the fish family Labyrinthici are products of domestication.

Events at the British Museum.

[MS of a short paper on pigeon breeding by an Italian doctor.]

Will try again to draw the expression of a pleased dog.

JDD is sending a copy of his book, Corals and coral islands [1872], with his compliments.

Sends MS of a book on progressive development on this planet and in the universe. Asks CD to underwrite its publication.

Has replied [in North Am. Rev. 115 (1872): 1–30] to Mivart’s communication to the North American Review [114 (1872): 451–68].

Discusses the degree of fixedness of different characters in organisms.

Again seeks help with his rabbits; hopes one of CD’s men can take them.

Thanks for CD’s books [unspecified].

Delighted CD’s groom will take the rabbits;

has just done proof of a paper to the Royal Society on "blood-relationship", defining kinship between parents and offspring.

Sends a drawing of dog’s expression for CD to approve and return.

Thanks CD for his note and cheque for young May.

Will send copy of second edition of Erewhon, in which he has set himself straight about "having intended no villainy by the machines". [See 8318.]

A review and criticism of Chauncey Wright’s paper on phyllotaxy [Mem. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. n.s. 9 (1867–73): 379–415]. Does not believe that the "distributive" and "cyclical" properties, which CW claims characterise the existing spiral orders of leaf arrangement, can be shown to be advantageous to plants. CW’s speculations on the origins of the spiral arrangement of leaves are purely hypothetical.

Sends, via C. L. Brace, his book [Botany for young people, pt 2 How plants behave (1872)], "your own science adapted to juvenile minds".