Gives opinion on the merits of Mr [Stephen P. J.] Eng[leheart (Darwin family doctor)]. Believes he would make an excellent county officer if elected to the district office of health.

Asks whether his observations on absorptive powers of glandular hairs of plants are new facts.

Asks for a Drosophyllum.

Comments on Francis Galton’s article in Fraser’s Magazine,

Greg’s Enigmas,

and Alphonse de Candolle’s Histoire des sciences.

Explains why he wants Drosophyllum.

Hopes JDH will be elected President of Royal Society.

Agrees with JDH on Greg’s Enigmas.

Would like Greg to visit Down if JDH comes as CD’s "protector".

Had thrown Geographical Society’s Proceedings in waste-basket, but as Strachey shows such admirable powers of discrimination he will fish it out and read the whole article.

Comments on 3d ed. of Sachs’s work [Lehrbuch der Botanik (1873)]. Wishes he were more controversial.

Has become wonderfully interested in Drosera and Dionaea.

9000 copies of Expression have been printed and most are sold.

Sends HA’s paper ["On leaf arrangement"] with a supporting note [from CD] to Royal Society.

Concerned about GHD’s health. Sends a prescription for a cough mixture.

Drosophyllum arrived; none of his observations turned out as he expected, but nevertheless he understands its habits better than he did. The secreting hairs that he observed may be explained as a mere chemical reaction.

Comments on various articles he has read.

Asks for Thiselton-Dyer’s notes.

A letter of recommendation for W. B. Dawkins in his application for the Woodwardian professorship of geology in the university of Cambridge.

Thanks MA for his Literature and dogma [1873].

Is drawing up the account of his crossing experiments. Requests JDH to add the families after nine genera, the names of which he encloses. Whenever there is no objection he would like to arrange the families in some sort of natural order.

Recommends Spalding’s article on instinct in Macmillan’s Magazine [27 (1873): 265–81].

Thanks for information on worm-castings. Comments on disintegration of castings.

Will see whether formic acid delays germination of fresh seeds.

Thinks primer not at all a folly. Refers JDH to Asa Gray’s "child’s book" [see 8363].

CD answers a question about the attitude of foreign naturalists towards Darwinism by distinguishing between the belief in evolution and belief in natural selection. Gives the views of [Louis] Agassiz, [R. A.] Kölliker, [C. W.] Nägeli, [Ernst] Häckel, [C. F. W.] Claus, [F. J.] Cohn, Alphonse de Candolle, [J. L.] Claparède, Asa Gray, Gaston de Saporta, [E. D.] Cope, and [Carl] Gegenbaur.

Hopes JC-B thinks that CD has properly acknowledged his debt in Expression.

Pleased that JC-B will review Expression.

Fears he will not be able to improve the book with JC-B’s "wonderfully curious" photographs because Murray printed such a large edition.

Would be glad to have JC-B’s notes on inheritance – "a most important subject".

Distressed by the poor health of GHD and Horace. Asks them to come home.

Much obliged for seeds. Will expose seeds to chemical vapours.

Comments on JTM’s spider experiments.

Is glad and proud to honour the memory of Adam Sedgwick [d. 1873].

CD has discovered correspondent intends to present a petition to the House of Commons on which CD’s is the sole signature. Asks that his name be erased unless other signatures are added.

Does not understand TM’s views on sex and vitality.

Agrees no real "essences" in genera, only broken groups of species.