Trying to get some Darwinians into the Institut de France.

Politics at Kew led to a letter of thanks to CD from the First Commissioner for his gift.

Thanks for Earthworms.

Sends preferred address.

Has just read CD’s book on worms and is finding tower-like worm-casts, as CD described, in Alpes-Maritimes. Relates case of garden worms and moles.

Suggests that the tendency of the left arm to move with the right leg (and vice versa) during walking is a rudiment of quadrupedal locomotion and thus bears on the descent of man.

JS is proposing to write a detailed history of the polled Aberdeen breed of cattle [James Macdonald and James Sinclair, History of polled Aberdeen or Angus cattle (1882)] and would be grateful for any instances of hornless breeds known to CD; in particular asks his opinion on the cause of the peculiarity.

Sends a letter [missing] from a Mr Moorhouse on lapwing behaviour that makes earthworms rise to surface.

Writes of his work and a paper accepted for publication in the Philosophical Transactions [? "Stresses caused in the interior of the earth", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 173 (1883): 187–230].

Gives news of friends.

Has sent Kovalevsky his major paper on the moon’s motion, with references to others.

Encloses letter from R. S. Ball [missing], who has placed reliance on Samuel Haughton’s wild speculations.

Has heard that J. Challis’s health is worse.

Are the animal and vegetable kingdoms so united as to be indistinguishable?

Requests CD to sent a cheque for the succession duty on Erasmus Alvey Darwin’s estate.

Reports observations on curious cats that appear to be cat–rabbit hybrids.

Requests visit to Down before he goes on expedition to South and Central Africa.

Argues that women are as regular "bread-winners" as men, though generally unrecognised as such, and that they possess the same qualities as men but lack the educational opportunities. Before women can be judged intellectually inferior to men they must share the same environment and opportunities. With "enlightened intellect, united with her wholesome moral nature" woman could help with the "propagation of the best and the survival of the fittest in the human species".

Reports remarkable case of inheritance of one of his habits by his infant son.

Encloses proof of CD’s prefatory notice for RM’s translation of Weismann; hopes CD might enlarge upon it.

Has observed earthworms drawing pine needles into their burrows.

Suggested T. G. Bonney contact CD to confirm story was apocryphal.

Declines CD’s generous offer of assistance with publishing costs of Weismann’s Studies, but would welcome his help in getting elected to the Royal Society.