Forwards a communication from A. Fonblanque for possible publication in Natural History Review. [See "Notice of mule breeding", Nat. Hist. Rev. n.s. 5 (1865): 147–8.]

Acknowledges receipt of £262 13s. 5d.

Sorry to hear JH is still suffering from gout.

Thanks GB for proposing him for Copley Medal; suspects he is responsible for the praise in Sabine’s "splendid eulogy" on his work. Has, however, written to Sabine to say he would have liked a little more said about the Origin.

Much pleased by Edward Sabine’s address.

Grateful to HF for his interest [in the award of Copley Medal to CD].

CD pleased with Huxley for defending him against Sabine. Also pleased with much of Sabine’s address. Is sure JDH wrote the botanical part.

Suggests James Hector observe which insects visit endemic New Zealand plants

and JDH examine distribution of white vs coloured corollas in New Zealand.

Thanks ES for his "splendid eulogium" [in Presidential Address to Royal Society on award of Copley Medal]. CD would have liked him to have said "a little more" about Origin.

CD feels no doubt about natural selection. Has heard from Germany of "a string of excellent men" who accept it.

Discusses Agassiz’s misrepresentations of his views and J. D. Dana’s "wild notions".

The reception is friendlier from younger scientists in France, and many of the best men in Germany.

Sends J. O. Westwood’s direction.

Regrets he has no notes on periods when albatrosses were abundant off Cape Horn.

Thanks CVN for reference to the Comptes Rendus [Académie Française].

Mentions CVN’s work on Cucurbitaceae and notes that he (CD) has quoted extensively from it in Variation.

Hopes to send paper on Lythrum [Collected papers 2: 106–31] soon.

Mentions exchange of photographs.

Has found incipient stages of adhesive discs in Hanburia tendrils.

Huxley was probably right to have challenged Sabine, but the poor old man is sick.

CD remembers the old Disraeli novel [Tancred (1847)] that sneers at transmutation.

Asks for comparison of otter-hounds’ feet with those of other dogs.

Changes in oysters.

Would be delighted to see FB for a few minutes but his health is so poor he doubts it would be worth the trouble for FB to visit.

Thanks about the otter-hound.

Requests addresses of J. E. Planchon, W. F. Hofmeister and M. J. Schleiden so he can send them copies of Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

The Copley medal. Sabine’s Presidential Address and Huxley’s response.

CD working on Variation; he will soon want corrected fowl MS [Variation, ch. 7].

WBT’s breeding experiments produced no sterility.

Asks TCE to verify whether otter-hounds have more skin between their toes than other hounds. Also interested in cases of infertile matings between normally fertile individuals.