Tells of his pleasure and surprise at reading JWJ’s article ["Darwin’s ""Geological observations"" ", Nature 15 (1877): 289–90].

Requests return of August Weismann’s letter which refers to eggs.

Curious about the drawing [of the caterpillar? See 10780].

Would like to see the photographs.

Was glad to read HNM’s paper on the New Zealand Peripatus.

Comments on TMR’s essay ["Geological time"].

It is monstrous that P. G. Tait should say that earth is less than ten million years old.

Sends enclosure regarding inherited handwriting from Life, letters, and journals of George Ticknor [ed. G. S. Hillard (1876)].

The extract from Ticknor [see 10722] is one of the most curious cases of inheritance CD has met with. He has sent it to Francis Galton as CD is not likely to write on inheritance again.

Expresses his gratitude for the gift [a birthday album from a number of Dutch scientists]; he cannot imagine a more honourable testimonial.

Regrets that F. Hilgendorf proved so greatly in error ["Planorbis Multiformis", Monatsber. K. Akad. Wiss. Berlin (1866): 474–504; "Noch einmal Planorbis Multiformis", Z. Dtsch. Geol. Ges. 29 (1877): 50–62].

Discusses polymorphic species.

Surprised that shell form developed from various different progenitors.

Reminds CD of C. Nägeli’s conclusions on Hieracium.

But still retains belief expressed in first edition of Origin that variation in protean species is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous.

Has read a large part of the Novara voyage [Narrative of the circumnavigation of the globe by the Austrian frigate "Novara" (1861–3)] with pleasure. CD was particularly interested in the scandalous French behaviour at Tahiti.

Sends thanks to Anthropological Society for sending birthday greetings.

Asks RK [Linnean Society Librarian] to send several journal volumes and articles.

Thanks EH for album of photographs of German scientists.

Thanks for the honour conferred upon him [see 10826]; it is quite beyond his deserts.

Pleased and honoured by WTT-D’s review ["Darwin on fertilisation", Nature 15 (1876–77): 329–32]. Comments on review.

Negotiations for loan of drawings [of Lepidoptera] have failed.

Praises AG’s abstract of Cross and self-fertilisation [Am. J. Sci. 3d ser. 13 (1877): 125–41].

Hopes soon to finish with dimorphic plants.

Corrects an important misprint in English edition of Cross and self-fertilisation, p. 275, line six from top [but see 10877].

CD, who has acted as treasurer of the Down Friendly Club for the last 27 years, urges the members not to dissolve the Club, but to continue it and retain about £1000 of the funds on hand to ensure its safety and ability to give assistance to members when they are ill or invalided, or to provide for their burial when dead.

Replies to some of George Henslow’s criticisms [of Cross and self-fertilisation] made in his article ["Fertilisation of plants", Gard. Chron. n.s. 7 (1877): 203–4].

Sends correction to p. 275 of Cross and self fertilisation [but see letter to Édouard Heckel, 4 March 1877].