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.

News of progress in remodelling. He and Etty [Henrietta] miss the rest of the family.

Was sick, but "two pills of opium righted me".

CD has been stomachy and sick, but not very uncomfortable.

Working on proofs [of South America] and cannot keep printer supplied with manuscript.

His thoughts of her, and news of the children who are at Down with him.

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.

Discusses proposed survey of Glen Roy. Mentions Glen Roy theories of Agassiz and William Buckland. Includes a memorandum calling for a careful survey of the parallel roads of Glen Roy. Mentions M. A. Bravais ["On the lines of ancient level of the sea in Finmark", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 1 (1845): 534].

Is slaving at South America – ¾ finished.

Has discovered geologists never read each other’s works – "the only object in writing a book is a proof of earnestness … Geology is at present very oral".

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.