Asa Gray will try to get HWB’s paper reviewed.

Also mentions that he (CD) wrote a short review of it for Natural History Review [Collected papers 2: 87–92].

Asks whether bees or Lepidoptera visit flowers of Melastomataceae.

Congratulations on marriage, which CD considers the best and only chance for happiness in this world.

Glad HWB is near completion of book.

Begs him to thank Wallace for Melastoma information; CD "cannot endure being beaten by a beggarly flower".

CD relates Asa Gray’s pleasure over HWB’s paper and Gray’s plans to write abstract [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 285–90].

Thanks HWB for his book [Naturalist on the river Amazons]. Feels sure it will often be alluded to in other works.

Asa Gray is fascinated by the "Butterfly paper" ["Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon valley", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 495–566].

Has finished vol. 1 [of Naturalist on the river Amazons]. CD praises book as "best ever published in England".

The review in the Athenæum was cold, as always, and insolent.

After finishing vol. 2 [of Naturalist on the river Amazons], CD still has only praise. Remarks that his family is also enjoying the book. He regrets having finished, since he so enjoyed the descriptions.

Asks for a letter on the tameness of deer, written by Commander A. Boutakoff to R. I. Murchison and printed in the Journal [J. R. Geogr. Soc. 23 (1853): 93–101].

Would like tabulation of horned beetles if not too troublesome, but would easily settle for general remarks.

On the subject of other species mocking Heliconidae, asks whether full-coloured ones were mocked. Expresses full belief in HWB’s theory.

Encloses a copy of A. R. Wallace’s letter to the Field requesting observations on which caterpillars birds devour.

Asks about proportions of male to female insects.

CD in utter confusion about differences between J. O. Westwood and HWB on division of certain insects. Asks if HWB will homologise certain families for him, telling him which terms would be most generally understood.

Asks also about differences on sound-producing organs of Achetidae Gryllidae.

Thanks HWB for bringing "the question of sexes" before the Entomological Society. Feels he will come to some conclusion by comparison of numerous observations.

It appears Pangenesis "will expire unblessed and uncursed by the world".

Requests information on the standard of beauty of savages and on whether the female has any influence in selecting a male.

CD has questions related to colour differences in the sexes of butterflies, especially in relation to HWB’s paper ["On variation in sexes of Argynnis diana", Proc. Entomol. Soc. Philadelphia 4 (1865): 204–7].

Mentions that his MS on Lepidoptera [for Descent] is longer than he intended and the information is four-fifths owed to HWB.

Thanks HWB for answering questions.

The MS on Lepidoptera is almost finished and he is glad HWB will read it; he is fearful of mistakes, not being familiar with the subject.

Lists specimens he wants from Mr Janson, emphasising that he always wants male and female.

He extends an invitation for a Sunday in early June.

Explains why he has declined writing a review for Messrs Appleton.

Thanks for assistance. He will write fully to Wallace tomorrow.

Orders five works on the Sandwich Islands from the Royal Geographical Society Library for his investigation of infanticide and population trends there.

Asks for information he needs for the German translation [of Coral reefs], including correct titles of reference books and the name of a voyager.

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

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