The Zoological Station has already resulted in "capital work" by F. M. Balfour and Ray Lankester. G. J. Romanes is coming next year.

CD will be interested in AD’s ancestry of vertebrates. "I shall be very sorry to give up the ascidians."

Thanks AD for his Ursprung [der Wirbelthiere (1875)], which astonished CD. AD’s views, if accepted by competent authorities, will show how much we have to learn about the history of every animal. Suggests caution on "degradation principle". Comments on other views in the work. Has long seen importance of the principle of "Functionswechsel" [transfer [change!?] of function], but never enunciated it as a distinct principle.