Thanks for report on J. V. Carus’ lecture.

Glad to hear suspicion about J. H. Stirling groundless.

CD has not seen R. W. Emerson. In last two or three years has seen several Yankees. Saw a good deal of the Nortons [Charles Eliot and Susan Ridley Sedgwick].

Thanks EWL for his book about hydropathy [Old medicine and new (1873)].

Thanks correspondent for his kind and generous exertions [to get CD elected to French Academy?].

Comments on ability of recipient to move his scalp.

Orders salts of various metals; thinks chlorides (where soluble) would be better than nitrates.

Discusses apple specimens received from CL; reversion to crab state. Cites passage on subject in Variation.

Comments on letter from Mr Wood on inheritance in fruit-trees.

Would like to cross flowers of "Hawthornden" with many distinct varieties.

CD refuses an interview because of a severe headache, but wishes all success to the Gardeners’ Chronicle.

Sends Dionaea plant for experiment involving temperature.

Is interested in comparative nutritive values of chondrin and gelatin. The former seems to excite Drosera more, though albumen does so to a higher degree than either. Also asks if chlorophyll is digested by animals; Drosera digests it hardly at all.

Discusses speech of parrots and starling. [See Descent, 2d ed., p. 85 n.]

CD sends thanks for the honour conferred by his election as an honorary member, though ill health may prevent his taking advantage of the privileges granted.

Invites AC to visit.

Discusses meaning of term "sexual selection".

Comments on variability in males.

Regrets he cannot visit Oxford.

Comments on sketches in letter from JP [9360].

Subscribes to a reprint of Pieter Boddaert’s Table des planches enluminéez d’histoire naturelle [check ‘éez’!?] [1874].

Asks correspondent to obtain odd numbers of Flora.

Discusses LR’s communication concerning supernumerary mammae.

CD responds to information about residue of milk digested by Drosera. Is obliged for information on strength of acids and albumen and now has little doubt acid had impaired the leaves. Awaits word on pepsin and papaw juice.

Thanks for note and paper ["Secondary sexual characters in Cheiroptera", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1873): 241–52].

Has corrected error in new edition of Descent [1874].

Sees nothing strange in geckos inhabiting frost-clad land and having no claws.

Comments on CL’s planned bequest to science. CD would do the same if he had fewer sons.