Offers the German rights of Variation if J. V. Carus is prepared to translate it.

Thanks for two copies of Hildebrand’s monograph on plant sexuality (Hildebrand 1867a).

The new title is fixed. Thanks for clean sheets. As to number of copies, now that JM proposes 1500, CD is frightened.

Suggests change in sentence of JDH’s "Insular floras" to make meaning clear.

Naudin’s letter about hybrids.

Pangenesis.

CD must decline his correspondent’s kind offer [unspecified], but he is out of health and has passed the part about dogs in a work now at the printer’s [Variation].

Thanks for Agassiz’s Lectures. Lyell does not believe a word about glacial action of any kind in lowlands of Brazil. Agassiz’s view of glacial movement has been given up by physicists.

Returns Charles Naudin’s letter with its case in support of CD’s view of impregnation.

Twits JDH for trying to wriggle out of error made in his lecture and admires his "candour in letting the rat out of the bag". [See 5449 and 5451.]

Thanks for facts on orchids.

Friedrich Hildebrand’s new book on fertilisation of plants [Die Geschlechten-Vertheilung bei den Pflanzen (1867)].

CD correcting proofs of Variation.

FM likes Ernst Haeckel’s book [Generelle Morphologie (1866)].

Answers VOK’s questions regarding the size of forthcoming Variation and gives his consent to a translation.

But if Origin has not yet been translated into Russian, CD thinks it would be a better book to undertake.

Close inbreeding and factors acting against it.

Thanks WED for a present.

Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s Reign of law [1867].

Is busy revising proofs [of Variation].

Does not care which photograph is engraved. Hopes to get specimens of Eozoon canadense for J. V. Carus.

Discusses the orchid specimens received from MTM. Remarks on the self-sterility of Cypripedium and other orchids.

Anxious for news about baby.

Will remember to save all foreign plants for JDH when he has finished experimenting with them.

Has learned that Fritz Müller is HM’s brother.

Thanks WO for information on inheritance of deficient phalanges [Variation 2:73] and for interesting case of the occurrence of anomalous fingers and teeth in twins[Variation 2: 253].

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.

Believes beauty of male bird important for attracting mate in wild. Will be interested to hear how a dyed male pigeon is received by the hens.

Asks for a note about sling for Leonard’s arm, as he is about to leave for school.

Rejoices over baby’s improvement.

Horace Darwin has intermittent fever.

Thanks JDH for page of the Farmer, a great service.

R. Trail’s potato grafting case would be of extreme value for demonstrating Pangenesis. [See Variation 1: 395.]