[Valediction and signature only.]

Although he formed a high opinion of one of the correspondent’s papers, regrets that he could not presume to give an opinion of the merits of a candidate in chemistry.

Sends paper she read before AAAS, but which was not accepted for Proceedings.

On the extinction of populations. [See Descent, 2d ed., p. 183.]

Requests help for George Darwin’s investigation of marriages of first cousins. Seeks to determine proportion of first-cousin offspring among the insane, deaf and dumb, blind, etc.

Mentions family news;

sends a little magazine [missing] dealing with South American mission and showing "what teaching and the gospel of Christ is doing for those poor Natives".

W. J. Beal’s paper ["Phyllotaxis of cones", Am. Nat. 7 (1873): 449–53] shows incompleteness of HA’s theory, but does not invalidate his basic principles on origin of leaf arrangement or the broad applicability of the theory.

Thanks JDH for Asa Gray’s interesting letter.

Would like JDH’s copy of Coral reefs. Needs it for corrections for a new edition. Cannot buy one.

CD is glad Horace has done "pretty well" in his examination.

Smith and Elder will publish new edition of Coral reefs [1874]; thanks HD for aid.

Breeders normally destroy weak and puny puppies in large litters, but would keep females if only one or two.

Wants CD to propose him for the Royal Society.

Extract from the Honolulu Gazette on the decreasing population of the Sandwich Islands.

On the increases in crossbred English and Tahitian population of Pitcairn islanders. [See Descent, 2d ed., p. 190.] Includes copy of letter from George Hunn Nobbs about the population of Norfolk Island.

Sends CD the number of Pitcairn islanders transferred to Norfolk Island cited in her deceased husband’s book [Sir William Thomas Denison, Varieties of a vice-regal life (1870)] but is unable to furnish additional information.

French translation of Expression sent for CD’s approval.

Reports on a séance. "The Lord have mercy on us all if we have to believe in such rubbish."

Asks JDH to vote for his nephew, Henry Parker, for Athenaeum membership.

A new German edition of Descent is planned. Would like to work on proofs before leaving for lectures at Edinburgh.

JHM, who has not read CD’s works, must conduct a discussion on Darwinism and theology at a local literary society. He asks CD to define briefly his position on the origin of man and on descent.

An awful row at the Linnean Society. William Carruthers and Co. packed a meeting to throw out a decision of the Council. He was beaten by one vote (more than two-thirds majority needed).

Spent two hours with Lyell talking about Thomas Belt’s book [The naturalist in Nicaragua (1874)]: "the tropical old Glaciers beat the seance I do think".

Lyell agrees that the glacial epoch is the great geological crux of the day. Lowering of the ocean level must also be investigated.

Curious about A. C. Ramsay’s paper coming at Royal Society on 29th ["On the comparative value of certain geological ages", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 22 (1874): 145–8].

Huxley’s new book [? Critiques and addresses (1873)].

Russian Expression has sold nearly 2000 copies.

Plans to come to England to study collections of vertebrate fossils from the Chalk. This will complement his work in the south of France.