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

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

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

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

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].

Thanks OZ for a "magnificent Album".

On Beagle voyage CD believed in permanence of species. Had occasional vague doubts. In autumn of 1836 saw how many facts indicated common descent of species. In 1837 opened notebook to record facts.