Asks about Charles Bell’s statement concerning contraction of eye muscles. Asks whether such contraction is related to secretion of tears.

Wants observations on a Papilio to see whether ticking noise is confined to one sex.

Experiments on self-sterility.

Will send copy of his orchid paper ["Fertilisation of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Eschscholzia when self-fertilised, produced pods.

Admires GJ’s book [Die Darwin’sche Theorie (1869)].

Asks about plumage of rejected male pheasant.

F. C. Donders has been to lunch – a good "Darwinian"!

JDH’s speech of resignation [as BAAS President] at Exeter was charming [Rep. BAAS (1869)]. JDH should have been an ambassador.

Has received Indian census.

Is unusually well.

Thanks EB for his attempts to find out about the mandrills;

sorry to hear that he has been so badly treated by the manager of Land and Water.

Thanks SHS for papers he has sent.

Asks JDH to consult colleagues learned in physiology for answer to query: when a large piece of bark is removed from a tree, does the bark ever regrow in isolated points [separate] from the growing margin of the surrounding bark? Query bears on Pangenesis and on power of repair in plants.

Wishes JM’s new periodical [the Academy] could have been a weekly so it might kill the Athenæum by a lingering death.

Has drafted a piece [about Descent] but is not pleased with it.

Sends a list of queries for AG.

Asks whether AG can supply specimens for illustrations [for Descent]. Hopes Mr Ford will do the drawings.

James Orton, U. S. naturalist, has sent him a tooth from skull of a horse found in Quito, Ecuador in deposits containing Mastodon, etc. JO asked CD to send it to Owen, but, since he does not communicate with Owen, he is sending it to THH.

Thanks correspondent for sending curious facts about his cats.

Is "astonished & deeply grieved" at loss [of AG’s wife].

Would have liked to come to lunch, but has been talking so much to Hooker that he has no strength left.

Thanks AG for full answers to queries.

Delighted Mr Ford will undertake drawings [for Descent]; comments on some illustrations he would like.

Thanks AR for specimens and notes. Will keep them for future edition [of Variation]. Particularly struck by difference in hardiness of varieties of Syringa persica.

He will send carrier to the Field office to collect pigeons.

Is annoyed that a new French edition of Origin [1870] has been prepared without making use of the corrections CD made in the 5th English edition [1869].