On individuality.

Huxley’s review exquisite, but too severe on Vestiges; sorry for ridicule of Agassiz’s embryonic fishes.

Stonesfield mammals.

J. O. Westwood deserves Royal Society Medal.

Will begin species work in a few days.

Offers to send collection of cirripedes to Copenhagen Museum in return for assistance in his research. Mentions publication of Living Cirripedia, vol. 2.

Agrees with THH on metamorphosis of branchiae of Balanus, and on his view of Owen.

Returns cirripede specimens to AAG. Encloses specimens for Louis Agassiz in same box.

Since AAG is a member of the Ray Society, will not send him a copy of Living Cirripedia, vol. 2.

Thanks for help on presentation copies of Living Cirripedia, vol. 2.

Suggests he examine cementing apparatus of Balanus.

Discusses lost investment opportunity.

CD writes as the Treasurer of the Down Coal and Clothing Club and the Down Friendly Club, requesting subscriptions.

Congratulates JDH on receipt of Royal Medal.

CD gathering facts on aberrant genera of insects.

Regrets he cannot come to hear DS’s paper ["On the structure of Mont Blanc", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 11 (1855): 11–27]. Has a lively interest in the subject.

Edward Forbes has misrepresented his view on foliation and cleavage [Athenæum 30 Sept 1854].

CD is convinced DS’s view will replace Huttonian and Lyellian view of metamorphic schists.

Recommends H. C. Sorby’s paper [probably "On the origin of slaty cleavage", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 55 (1853): 137–50].

Calculating small number of species in aberrant genera of insects and plants.

Joachim Barrande’s "Colonies", Élie de Beaumont’s "lines of Elevation", Forbes’s "Polarity" make CD despair, as these theories lead to conclusions opposite to CD’s from the same classes of facts.

Asks JSH to inquire about drift-wood at Kerguelen Land.

Hooker’s observation on similarity of Kerguelen plant species to those of Tierra del Fuego strikes CD as a great anomaly, so he is searching for an answer, "however improbable".

Requests authoritative information on erratic boulders and marks of glaciers in New Zealand, and especially in southern islands.

Grief at the death of Edward Forbes.

JDH’s "grand speech" on receiving the Royal Medal.

Thanks for Lady Holland’s kind present. Will only lend it to his sister-in-law and his aunt.

Is Bentham’s list of aberrant genera biased by exclusion of genera with many species?

JDH’s belief that Aquilegia varieties are one species is consistent with their great interfertility.

Debates aberrant species, e.g., Ornithorhynchus and Echidna, with JDH. CD argues they are result of extinction having removed intermediate links to allied forms.

Studying effects of disuse in wings of tame and wild ducks.

Tabulations showing that number of species in a genus is not correlated with number of genera in an order.

Thanks for subscription to Down Coal and Clothing Club, whose finances are improving.

Discusses his account. Mentions health of children.