Observations on winter colour of coats of male and female elk,

spots on deer,

and tuft of hair on breasts of wild female turkeys.

Pleased at [advance] sale [of Descent]. Suggests 3000 copies be printed. Corrections are frightful and, CD fears, will not be done until end of year.

Thanks WO for information on platysma, which he did not know could be brought into voluntary action. Is coming to believe it has nothing to do with expression.

On the relation between white colouring and susceptibility to poisonous plants, CD suggests WO send his paper to J. Wyman and propose he investigate whether white as well as black pigs will eat paint-root.

Asks son John whom he would like to have sign the certificate for fellowship in the R.S.L. [see JH's 1870-9-7]; JH talks about ways of dealing with local irregularities in geodetic surveying [see JH's 1869-11-25]; is wishing Amelia and family were out of China and into India.

CD has already agreed that Julius Victor Carus will translate his next book.