Disappointed with Webb and Berthelot.

Delighted to hear of more species from the Galapagos, surprised to hear W. Indian character of flora.

Will come to visit Kew if Claude Gay speaks English. Otherwise would prefer to wait until spring.

Will visit JDH in spring.

Will JDH ask Gay what birds, reptiles, or mammifers inhabit Juan Fernández [Island]?

Has JDH seen William Herbert’s paper ["Local habitation and wants of plants", J. Hortic. Soc. Lond. 1 (1846): 44–9]?

Thinks JDH’s explanation of polymorphism on volcanic islands is probably correct.

Proposes experimental test to see whether alpine form of a plant is inherited like a true variety.

Has had to make a Post Office order to JDH payable at Charing Cross instead of Kew.

Does Sir William [Hooker] know the Dean of Manchester’s London address?

Sends enclosure for JDH to read [letter from E. Forbes, 956]. "I cannot see my way about his post-miocene land."

Glad to hear of JDH’s botanical appointment [with Geological Survey].

Edward Forbes has written about his subsidence doctrine; CD objects to its hypothetical base.

Agrees with JDH about Forbes’s views.

Discusses A. Saint-Hilaire’s lectures and asks on what grounds botanists judge the relative "highness" of plants.

C. G. Ehrenberg wants specimen grasses from Ascension Island.

If JDH can send grasses CD will write to Ehrenberg enclosing them.

Is pleased JDH will attend to polymorphism and also with the botanical relation, as stated by JDH, between Africa and Java.

Would welcome any information on impregnation in the bud.

CD’s suggestions for improving a paragraph by JDH.

On distribution of certain species and their variation relative to a central, typical form.

Interested in sterility of alpine plants in lowland and sterility of some plants in cultivation.

Curious to see Galapagos paper.

CD brought some plants in spirits from Tierra del Fuego. Did JDH see them?

Problems of explaining formation of coalfields. Comments on recent work on coal formation.

Regrets he cannot visit JDH.

Has been talking with Lyell about coal, which he finds utterly perplexing.

Is delighted with the generalisations in latest numbers of Flora Antarctica.

Has nearly finished South America.

Pleased to hear JDH has worked out identical and representative species of N. Temperate and Antarctic regions.

Geoffroy Saint Hilaire’s "loi du balancement" as applied to plants.

CD jaded by, but has nearly completed, South America.

Hopes to start looking over his species notes in about a year.

Very much enjoyed Southampton [meeting of BAAS, 9–12 Sept].

Sulivans are coming on Friday. Can JDH come?

Can JDH bring a good book on Corallina or Nullipora of Lamarck?

CD intends writing paper on their propagation.

Will be in London tomorrow and will try to pop over to Kew.