His beard is darker than his hair, an exception to CD’s rule in Descent [2: 319]. Encloses sample of his hair, beard, and whiskers.

WBT’s beard exceptional in that it is darker than his hair [see Descent 2: 319].

Corrections for Descent. Has sold 6500 copies in England.

Has finished rough draft of Expression, but will put it aside for the summer.

Will refresh himself with some curious observations on the response of plants to certain stimuli.

Upset to learn he has misrepresented CD’s doctrine on Pangenesis [in Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–410]. Hopes that CD’s letter to Nature [3 (1871): 502–3; Collected papers 2: 165–7] will clarify the doctrine and attract attention to it.

Condolence on death of HJ’s daughter; "I know from old experience how bitter a loss it is".

Thanks for information about intelligence of dog.

Sends his paper on locusts ["Die geographische Verbreitung der Wanderheuschrecke", Petermann’s Geogr. Mittheil. (1871)]. The effect of the growth of forest land on their increase; meteorological and climatic effects.

Also observations made on increase in mice as a result of increase of locusts, on whose eggs they fed, and of increase of weasels that fed on mice.

Thanks HN for photographs of his ears and one showing the form of the ears in a foetal orang. He will show them to a wood-engraver when a new edition of Descent is called for [see Descent, 2d ed., p. 17].

Has read the Field review of Descent ["Darwin on the descent of man", 37 (1871): 210]. Thanks WBT for his remarks.

Points out errata in Descent.