A set of questions CD prepared for his meeting with WHM to discuss the geometry of bees’ cells.

Concerned about ED’s headaches, CD writes an affectionate letter.

Believes he has found a rare slave-making species of ant.

Is reading novels: Beneath the surface and Three chances.

Has been at Moor Park since Tuesday. Is passing his time watching ants.

Confidential revelation concerning W. F. Daniell.

Georg Hartung confirms CD’s supposition from flora of Azores that icebergs had been stranded there.

CD recounts an idyllic stroll and nap – "as pleasant a rural scene as ever I saw, and I did not care one penny how any of the beasts or birds had been formed".

Discusses bees’ cells

and WED’s botanical interests.

Sends MS on large and small genera.

Observed slave-making ants at Moor Park.

Relates events at home;

hopes WED gets the scholarship.

Arranges meeting with JDH at Thatched House Tavern.

Eager for JDH’s reaction to MS on large and small genera.

Arrangements for JDH to visit Down for weekend.

Has come to heavy grief about bees’ cells, unless Huber is wrong [François Huber, New observations on the natural history of bees, new ed. (1841)].

Discusses cart-horses and stripes on a Belgiman [Belgian?].

CD’s receipt of diploma from Caesarea Leopoldino-Carolina Academy [Dresden].

Pleased with JDH’s reaction to MS on large and small genera.

Confident of soundness of principle of divergence.

CD experimenting on pollination mechanism of Leguminosae. Asks JDH to investigate Fumariaceae.

Relates domestic affairs.

Thinks his bees’ cell theory will hold good.

Etty [Henrietta Darwin] very ill with diphtheria.

Death of Charles Waring Darwin [1856–8] from scarlet fever.

JDH’s and Lyell’s kindness [presumably about A. R. Wallace’s letter]. CD can provide a copy of his letter to Asa Gray [about CD’s species theory].

JDH wants papers at once. CD sends Wallace’s paper and CD’s abstract of his letter to Asa Gray. Sends [species] sketch of 1844 with JDH’s notes to assure JDH he had read it.

Thanks JDH for his report on the reading of the Wallace and Darwin papers at the Linnean Society [read 1 July 1858; Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Considers how to publish his work. Offers to forward a note from JDH to Wallace.

JDH’s letter to Wallace perfect. CD’s feelings about priority. Without Lyell’s and JDH’s intervention CD would have given up all claims to Wallace. Now planning 30-page abstract for a journal.

Observations on floral structure

and slave-making ants.

Regards from Isle of Wight.