Mentions seeing GHKT at BAAS meeting at Oxford [1847].

Reports he is working on variation of species. Asks about varieties of pigeons and other poultry, and asks for specimens from Ceylon.

Hopes GHKT will publish on variations in plant species at different elevations. Asks about variations among plants on heights of Ceylon.

Promises to publish on the species question.

Asks for pigeons’ skins from India or Ceylon, and for ducks’ skeletons. Mentions help promised by E. F. Kelaart.

Thanks GHKT for letter on plant acclimatisation and variation among alpine and lowland forms in Ceylon.

Questions how natural selection can explain why some cells remain simple and others are modified into highly complex structures.

Reports on the spread in Ceylon of a recently introduced plant.

Is pleased GHKT goes a little way with him.

Has rectified in foreign editions of Origin his omission of an explanation of the failure of many forms to progress;

also has discussion of beauty in MS. Does GHKT really believe Diatomaceae, for instance, were created beautiful so that man, millions of generations later, should admire them through a microscope? CD attributes most of these structures to unknown laws of growth; useful structures are accounted for by natural selection.

Thanks for fact about ducks in Ceylon. Asks for more information.

Pleased by GHKT’s sentence [about Origin].

Sends CD a quotation from Plato which anticipates the Origin.

Has been enjoying CD’s paper on dimorphism in the Journal of the Linnean Society ["Two forms of Primula", Collected papers 2: 45–63]. He has found similar structures [see Forms of flowers, pp. 116, 122].

Refers to his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Asks GHKT to investigate a similar case in Cinchona.

Asks for information concerning heterostyled and dioecious plants.

Asks for any authentic cases of "sports", which CD calls "bud-variations". Flowers introduced from warmer temperate regions are said to be particularly apt to sport in this way.

CD now has proof that Cinchona is dimorphic and that some dimorphic plants are absolutely sterile with their own-form pollen.

Asks GHKT to examine or send pollen specimens of two Ceylon genera.

Replies to CD’s letter: dimorphism common in Ceylon Rubiaceae. [See Forms of flowers, p. 286.]

Thanks GHKT for specimens of Sethia. Discusses functions of their dimorphism for insect fertilisation.

Discusses polymorphism and fertilisation in Lythraceae.

Asks for seed of Limnanthemum.

Describes his interest in galls.

Discusses curious specimens of Gomphia and Lesemia.

Dimorphism in Linum.

Situation in some of the lower Algae is analogous to that in phaenogams. In some, conjugation occurs between separate filaments, in others between cells of same filament.

Forwards a letter from S. O. Glenie enclosing specimens of Cassia fistula which show the two forms of the anthers.

Thanks GHKT for Limnanthemum seed.

Comments on his view of algal reproduction.

Discusses flower of Cassia.

Sends photograph of himself.

Sends information on the flowers of Cassia roxburghii; will send flowers of all the species of Cassia for CD to study with a view to discovering the law which operates to bring about the differences.

Asks GHKT about eyes of screaming elephants.

Asks whether mane in male of Macacus silenus protects it from bites or is merely ornamental.

Has circulated CD’s Queries about expression and gives some of his observations of the natives.

GHKT should not take more trouble about human expression. Discusses contraction of orbicular muscles in elephants.

Asks about colour of first plumage of breeds of Ceylon fowls in which hens alone are coloured.

GHKT is going to procure some local smoke-coloured fowls and investigate them for CD.

Encloses letter on expression queries from S. O. Glenie.