News of family and friends. "I tell you all the gossip I can that you may know how the Shropshire world is going on."

Mainly Shropshire news of family and friends.

Urges CD to return to the Beagle early in November. Conrad Martens arrives to succeed Augustus Earle as artist for the expedition.

Mainly news of the family and friends. Their joy at the abolition of slavery.

Shropshire news of relatives and friends.

News of Fanny Biddulph and other Owens; Susan Darwin has declined a marriage offer. Other gossip about Shrewsbury acquaintances.

Finds CD’s journal very entertaining and interesting, but thinks his style in first part too much influenced by Humboldt.

Sends some books by Harriet Martineau and Archbishop Whately.

Rejoices that the more he sees of Negroes, the better he thinks of them.

Finds his journal interesting; they will read it aloud to Papa on winter evenings. They all regret the long time the journey is taking.

Urges CD to visit Flores Island near Montevideo if he has not already done so. Describes formation of greenstone and the granite formations on small islands in the Uruguay channel.

Sends specimens from Pôrto Alegre [Brazil] for identification by CD.

Has been working hard on collecting English and foreign birds. Yarrell has written of new birds discovered in England.

News of work in progress by Leonard Jenyns, P. J. Selby, and John Gould.

Cautions CD to beware of insects when he sends any birds’ skins – otherwise there will be only feathers, beaks, and legs remaining when he returns.

Sending shot or powder is illegal, but all CD’s goods and chattels have been sent. EL’s services to CD are what any Englishman should do for his country.

Mentions letters sent in parcel and those from CD received by Fox and Henslow. Adds news of family and friends.

Appreciation of his journal. She hears that CD’s "theory of the Earth" is the same as Lyell’s in 3d volume [of Principles of geology (1833)].

News of family and friends. Hensleigh Wedgwood’s scruples about swearing oaths.

Acknowledges CD’s letter about alpine entomology of Tierra del Fuego; discusses geographical distribution; urges CD to make a chart of vegetable and geological distribution of insects. Advises him on species to collect and assures him of all assistance in describing his captures on his return.

Tells of founding of Entomological Society, and enrolls CD.

News of J. F. Stephens’ lawsuit and continuation of his Illustrations of British entomology [1827–46]. Praises general state of zoological science in England.

News of family and friends: W. D. Fox will marry in the spring; private theatricals at Eaton house-party.

Writes on CD’s 25th birthday.

Points out "errors in orthography" in his journal.

News of family and friends, visits, and other social events.

They learn from a garbled report in the Times that CD’s specimens have arrived in Cambridge.

William Clift, at Royal College of Surgeons, delighted by CD’s letter about the bones that were sent to Plymouth.

Strange coincidence that Royal College of Surgeons has the front portion and CD has sent home the remainder of a skull, of which a drawing can now be completed.

Other news of family and friends.

A letter full of news of Cambridge and friends: the BAAS meeting at Cambridge; charges of corruption in the University; the Cambridge petition on behalf of Dissenters.

Writes a cordial letter with family and local news. Hopes CD will see his two sons in India.

P.S. by Catherine Darwin says no letter was written this month as all is well at home.

Responds to CD’s queries: the bones were received from Mr Keen and shipped to Henslow; expects another collection which he will forward.

Adds news that has arrived at Buenos Aires since CD left.