WBT’s beard exceptional in that it is darker than his hair [see Descent 2: 319].

Corrections for Descent. Has sold 6500 copies in England.

Has finished rough draft of Expression, but will put it aside for the summer.

Will refresh himself with some curious observations on the response of plants to certain stimuli.

Upset to learn he has misrepresented CD’s doctrine on Pangenesis [in Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–410]. Hopes that CD’s letter to Nature [3 (1871): 502–3; Collected papers 2: 165–7] will clarify the doctrine and attract attention to it.

Condolence on death of HJ’s daughter; "I know from old experience how bitter a loss it is".

Thanks for information about intelligence of dog.

Sends his paper on locusts ["Die geographische Verbreitung der Wanderheuschrecke", Petermann’s Geogr. Mittheil. (1871)]. The effect of the growth of forest land on their increase; meteorological and climatic effects.

Also observations made on increase in mice as a result of increase of locusts, on whose eggs they fed, and of increase of weasels that fed on mice.

Thanks HN for photographs of his ears and one showing the form of the ears in a foetal orang. He will show them to a wood-engraver when a new edition of Descent is called for [see Descent, 2d ed., p. 17].

Has read the Field review of Descent ["Darwin on the descent of man", 37 (1871): 210]. Thanks WBT for his remarks.

Points out errata in Descent.

Suggests aesthetic sense in animals is merely secondary to sexual selection.

Believes heliotype process is best for book illustrations. Has sent copies [of Descent] to Loescher and Carus.

Is working on an estimate for the cheap [6th] edition of the Origin.

The Times review has not hurt sales of Descent.

Thanks for EJP’s suggestion that it is fascination rather than aesthetic appreciation that drives sexual selection.

Replies to Francis Galton’s paper on tranfusing blood between rabbits to test Pangenesis [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–40]. FG’s conclusion that his experiments prove Pangenesis to be false is "a little hasty", since CD had never maintained that gemmules in the blood formed any part of his hypothesis.

Thanks CD for Origin, 5th ed.

Comments on reviews of Descent by the Duke of Argyll and A. R. Wallace.

Lists the Darwinian professors at Jena.

WP’s work shows external ear to have no physiological functions.

W. Müller’s book not yet arrived. Will send Müller’s next works.

About a dog that acquired habits from a cat and her kittens.

Requesting information about the publication history of Lavater 1820.

Concerned with photographic processes for illustrations [for Expression].

Thanks for FTK’s locust paper ["Die geographische Verbreitung der Wanderheuschrecke", Petermann’s Geogr. Mittheil. (1871)].

Information on the publishing history of a book [J. C. Lavater, Physiognomische Fragmente, 4 vols. (1775–8)].

Discusses action of the platysma in a state of fear.

Sends a small apparatus from Sarawak for getting fire.