Has received Burmese fowls’ skins from Walter Elliot.

Wrote some weeks ago about Burmese fowl-skins; is willing to send them, carriage paid.

CD will go over his pigeon MS and then dispose of all his birds. Has Burmese fowls’ skins if WBT is interested.

"Excessively" interested in theory of bees’ cell formation.

Fears few of his pigeons will be of any use to WBT.

Hopes WBT will describe foreign poultry breeds.

Inquires about the structure and formation of bees’ comb; is interested in seeing its form at the commencement of building.

Hopes to begin pigeon MS in a week.

Has lately been working on bees’ cells and wishes very much to examine a cylindrical one.

Discusses bees’ cells. Wants hive and swarm; would be glad to have WBT’s box with commenced cells. "I am partly a disciple of Waterhouse, but not wholly."

Thanks for hive.

Has started [writing up] pigeons and hopes to have finished with them in a week or two.

Death in family [Charles Waring Darwin]. Illness of children forces him to leave home and interrupt work on pigeons.

Has finished with and is disposing of his pigeons.

Invites WBT to Down; would like to see his bees’ cells.

Ask some questions on pigeons.

Remarks on the discussion of bees’ cells at the Leeds BAAS meeting. CD fancies he has the true theory with regard to their construction.

Has read WBT’s interesting communication on bees’ cells [Athenæum 16 Oct 1858]. Would like to see his excavated cells.

Wants WBT’s advice on poultry breeding experiments. Are certain birds true to their kind, and what should he pay for them?

"I thank you much for your note. The object, of course, is what you say. I did not guess that I shd have to pay so much per hen to Baker & the experiment would not be at all worth such a sum. I have not a single hen worth sending to Steven’s. If it really will not cost you much trouble, & you could get me some Hens & a young Spanish cock of pure breed . . . I will try to experiment and shall be very heartily obliged to you". CD mentions satisfactory local hens of a particular breed and an experiment being conducted on "Silver Barbs [with] black wing bars & white rump or bar at end of tail".

Thanks for some poultry breeds.