Sends CD a paper dealing in part with animal pigmentation [Med.-Chir. Trans. 2d ser. 411 [check vol no!?] (1870): 263–90]. Discusses relationship between white colouring and susceptibility to poisonous plants.

Has read WO’s paper [see 7361] with great interest. If WO’s views are confirmed he will be able to explain many odd little details about the colouring of animals.

Can WO observe if the platysma myoides is brought into strong action in people suffering from severe dyspnoea?

Ideas of female beauty of W. African Negroes are on the whole the same as those of Europeans.

Thanks PLS for his generous offer to go over the part on birds [in Descent]. Does not think PLS realises that there are more than 200 pages – most of which will have nothing new for him.

W. H. Hudson’s proofs have arrived ["Letters on the ornithology of Buenos Ayres", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1870): 87–9, 158–60, 332–4, 545–50, 671–3, 748–50, 798–82; (1871): 4–7, 258–62, 326–9].