Invites JJW to visit Down. Will try to get A. R. Wallace and H. W. Bates also.

Surprised and pleased JBI liked his "big book" [Variation].

Luckily, naturalists do not seem to think he has committed suicide with the work.

CD wants to turn over the school accounts to John Robinson [curate of Down]. Writes of other parish news.

Will vote in person for Sir John Lubbock.

Thanks GHKT and S. O. Glenie for information about fowls.

Asks about the differences in colour of plumage of adult male, female, and young birds. Suggests pile game as subject.

Asks about relative proportion of sexes in ducks and fowls.

Sends addition to T. H. Farrer’s [Lobelia] paper [Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. 2 (1868): 255–63].

Thanks CWN for specimen. CD has sent it to Hooker for examination.

Asks him to thank E. L. Layard for trouble taken.

Says Zoological Society "very foolishly" wants no specimens of domestic varieties [from Ceylon].