Writes on behalf of British authors requesting improved copyright rights with respect to United States.

Returns borrowed book. Is surprised that any of us have eyes "seeing what a frightful number of horrid diseases the eye is liable to".

Thanks CC’s father for relic. Remembers almost every boy above him but few below him in the school.

CC’s translation seems capital.

Thanks FCD for suggested deletions in MS of Expression. Declines offer from FCD to examine proofs also.

Encourages FG to carry out investigation [of spiritualism]. However, his own health is too uncertain to accept Daniel Dunglas Home’s offer. Discusses possibility of reproducing Crookes’s apparatus for sale.

[An autograph.] "With Mr Darwin’s compliments."

Thanks for part nine of WHE’s [Butterflies of North America (1868–72)].

Comments on trimorphism in Papilio ajax.

Regrets that his health will prevent his attending concerts in aid of the Rifle Corps Fund.

Expresses gratitude on election to Royal Netherlands Academy.

Not surprised incipient disease in female would make her unattractive to male.

Sorry JJW’s official duties are so heavy.

Thanks for notes on worm-castings. Amount of ammonia surprises CD. David Forbes asserts that published analysis of carbon in vegetable matter valueless. Suspects that worms search for food and do not blindly swallow earth.

Thanks GHD for extracts, but says the subject of music is beyond him.

Suggests that GHD deliberate over one or two sentences of his paper on dress ["Developments in dress", Macmillan’s Mag. 22 (1872): 410–16].

Refers to prospective marriage of Amy [Ruck and CD’s son Francis].

Comments on HM’s paper ["Anwendung der Darwin’schen Lehre auf Bienen", Verh. Naturhist. Ver. preuss. Rheinland 29 (1872): 1–96];

sexual selection in bees.

Encloses account on habits of Bombus.

"Be so good as to send me Unsere Zeit with Julius Frauenstädt’s article ["Darwin’s Auffassung des geistigen und sittlichen Lebens des Menschen" n.s. 8 (May 1872), 597–605]. I am much obliged for the information."

Comments on CL’s Principles of geology, 11th ed.

Discusses natural selection in man.

Encloses a testimonial for AG [in support of his application for a promotion at British Museum].

Does he agree with Carl Gegenbaur’s paper on the limbs of fish [Jenaische Z. Naturwiss. 5 (1870): 397–447]?

Asks what caused G. R. Gray’s sudden death.

Will FD try to persuade A. D. Bartlett to show a live snake to a porcupine and observe whether the porcupine rattles the quills on its tail? [See 8333.]

Is the horned toad of Oregon a batrachian or a lizard?

Hopes AG will be promoted in the British Museum.

Wishes to insert R. B. Litchfield’s remarks [into Expression] but will not give them as his own.

Acknowledges election as Honorary Member of the New Zealand Institute [now Royal Society N. Z.].