Has received his translation of Inferno safely, and it has been greatly admired by competent judges. Weather has been very bad. He can keep the extract from the Examiner.

On the coloration of 26 species of Saharan birds.

Questions from CD related to bird plumage and sexual differences, with answers by EB.

Has examined three races of the mouflon sheep and remarks on the extent of variation in them.

Offers notes and reflections on Variation.

Not convinced by Pangenesis, particularly its dependence on the Cytisus [graft hybrid] examples [ch. 27 and ch. 11].

What a book could be written on the application of natural history to man! Gives examples of inheritance in man.

Has just found that the bands of light from the comet are resolved by the spectroscope into bands that constitute a modified form of carbon. The spectrum of the comet was compared directly with a current of olefiant gas.

Thanks for two small works.

Will read essay on man [Entstehung des Menschengeschlechts] with much interest.

Generelle Morphologie reviewed by G. Bentham ["Anniversary Address", Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1867–8): lviii–c].

Extremely sceptical of hare–rabbit hybrid.

Thanks CD for mentioning his Corydalis and Primula experiments in Variation.

Has become Professor of Botany at Freiburg.

Encloses specimen of Corydalis cava.

In Variation CD mentions colour-blindness in women. WP does not believe there are any proven cases.

No summary available.

Note accompanying shipping of a specially bound volume of JH's Cape Results. JH has noted on back of letter that volume will be returned as it arrived without plates or frontispiece.

Answers to Expression questionnaire.

Thanks for interesting letter. ‘How very curious the case of the bright-coloured birds which conceal themselves in holes!’

Sends newspaper clipping about a nest of young birds, apparently hybrid offspring of a cock goldfinch and a hen green linnet.

Thanks AdeC for his long letter full of interesting facts, which will be of great use if a new edition [of Variation] is demanded.

As for when CD will publish on variation in a state of nature: he has had the MS almost ready for several years but Variation fatigued him so much

that "I determined to amuse myself by publishing a short essay on the Descent of Man".

AdeC will have plenty of time to publish his views. Asks permission to quote AdeC on a case of inheritance of scalp-muscles [see Descent 1: 20].

Hooker has expressed a view, similar to AdeC’s, "that morals & politics would be very interesting if discussed like any branch of Natural History".

Agrees with AdeC on acclimatisation

and on graft-hybrids.

CD is repeating Hildebrand’s method in producing graft-hybrid potatoes.

As for Pangenesis, very few people approve of it though it has some enthusiastic friends and CD has much faith in its vitality.

John Tyndall left London in a hurry, but he has urged the claims of JH's son [Alexander] as a professor at the School of Mines.

Much obliged for calling his attention to M. C. E. Du Four's paper, though he cannot reconcile the general reasoning. Comments on the effect of the Sirocco on the Föhn of the Alps.

Thanks JH for sending JH's work on Dante's Divine Comedy. Confesses not to be a Dante expert, but believes terza rima best for the poem in English.

Comments on WH's spectroscopic examination of cometary tails [see WH's 1868-7-2].

Apology for errors in binding [see SE's 1868-7-3]; new volume being bound.