Sends Variation and would like to hear what FM thinks of Pangenesis.

Thanks for information on expression.

Dimorphic plants;

differences in seed production in cross- and self-fertilised plants.

Thanks for congratulations on George’s attaining Second Wrangler.

George will try for a fellowship at Trinity.

CD believes real education begins after school days.

Royal Society Council would feel bound to vote for Candolle, but privately would twenty times rather see Asa Gray elected.

Asks for title of Wollaston’s Cape Verde book [Coleoptera Hesperidum (1867)].

Supposes JDH has received his letter in answer to Gray.

Has been writing two long papers for Linnean Society [reprinted in Forms of flowers].

Asks GHKT about eyes of screaming elephants.

Suggests, if further notice is to be taken of Variation, that the reviewer grapple with the subject of Pangenesis. Thanks him for his fair and friendly spirit.

Questions arising in German translation of Variation; its sales prospects. CD from the first has said it was very doubtful that the book was worth translating.

Thanks WL for sending congratulations [on George Darwin’s attaining Second Wrangler].

Relays news about Sedgwick’s condition.

Has finished a large book on variation.

Comments on Wollaston’s troubles

and his book [Coleoptera Hesperidum (1867)].

Mohl’s claim to foreign membership in Royal Society very strong.

Has been in despair about Variation – not worth a fifth part of the labour it cost him.

Is reading F. A. W. Miquel’s Flora du Japon [Prolusio florae Japonicae (1866–7)]; wonders whether A. Murray could be correct in his view that an area of the sea prevented Asiatico-Japan flora colonising western N. America.

Comments on A. Murray’s book [Geographical distribution of mammals (1866)].

Forwards a letter from John Horner of Market Drayton, Shropshire, concerning £2000 he considers due to him from CD under the terms of the will of Sarah Bayley.

Thanks for congratulations on Francis Darwin’s success in the tripos examinations at the university of Cambridge.

The king of Prussia has awarded him the order Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste.

There is so much detail in Variation that WDF will never be able to finish it. Some chapters, like that on reversion, are "curious".

Delighted to hear of success of EH’s lectures.

Ernest Faivre [La variabilité des espèces (1868)] sees no reason to favour common descent of allied species.

Asks EH to pass German edition of Variation on to Gegenbaur.

Comments on work of Miklucho[-Maclay], Dohrn, and Bleek.

Has begun work on Descent.

CD appreciates the honour of being elected an Honorary Member of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society.

Asks that Gray forward a letter to J. T. Rothrock. Variation is selling well. Nearly all chapters were at least partially written before Origin was published.

Heartily glad for JM’s sake at sale [of Variation]. Thinks JM right to publish a smaller second edition, for "the public will soon find out that it is dull" – though scientifically valuable. The index is excellent. CD is "always greedy" for presentation copies.

Has heard that Variation sold the whole edition of 1500 copies in a week [see 5844]. Has done him a world of good. Pall Mall Gazette has review which pleased him exceedingly [see 5874].

Asks about proportions of male to female insects.

Requests information on published observations on the proportional number of males and females born to various domestic animals.

Is working on sexual selection and is interested in any anomalous sex ratios in lower animals and any sex-related characters.

Wants information on sex ratios in domestic animals. Can WBT help?