Wishes to inform CD that, contrary to CD’s impression, natural selection is widely accepted in U. S. by educated men; encloses copies of his lectures, papers, and the Index.

Thanks CD for interest in FEA’s work and for money for Index. Sends 1870 volume of Index.

Praises CD’s services to free-thought.

Asks for CD’s view of the influence of his theory on religion, to use in lecture.

For CD’s approval, cites passage from CD note he wants to quote in a lecture;

pleads for CD’s moral support for FEA’s work in free-thought movement.

Sends $50 [dollars or pounds!?] because he wants CD to become regular contributor to Index.

Thanks CD for five dollars and two-year subscription to Index, and for permission to quote CD’s compliments on Truths for the times.

Asks CD to read and comment, for publication, on his forthcoming essay in Index on the evolution of conscience and morals through action and reaction between man and the moral environment.

Thanks WED for his letter of 20 December 1875. Is surprised and delighted by the support from WED and CD for the Index.

A poem, "Burns to Darwin".

Answers questions about chemistry (see 9202).

Is studying Variation, especially Pangenesis. Reports earlier notion of Dr Robert Lee, that resemblance between husband and wife may be partly owing to her having man’s blood circulating in her during pregnancies; thus spouses most resemble each other in large families.

Thanks for letter on ALA’s qualifications for vacant chair of natural history.

Reports observations on deer which have larger left antlers than right, possibly for protection of heart.

Asks whether he may see CD before leaving England.

Instances of sexual differences in viviparous fishes, suggested by reading chapters on sexual selection [in Descent] and by Mivart’s Genesis of species.

Notes on echinoderms.

Thanks for new [6th] edition of Origin.

Is working on Echini.

The more material he gets the less easy it is to diagnose a genus or species. Has little doubt that "classification is nothing but the most arbitrary convenient tool, depending upon the material at our command at a special time".

Thanks for Expression.

Has lost a year’s work in the fire that has devastated Boston.

Comments on discussion of residual organs in Descent [ch. 1].

Describes his ability to contract the platysma myoides at will.

Suggests reason for loss of voluntary movement of ears in men and monkeys.

Reply to CD’s letter of 5 Apr 1871 [7659], in which he asked HA for further details on when and how platysma myoides contracts.

Replies to CD’s questions about sources on leaf arrangement.

Gives news of speech and paper about CD.

Thanks for letter and reference to Nägeli’s observations on leaf arrangement in the bud.

A review and criticism of Chauncey Wright’s paper on phyllotaxy [Mem. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. n.s. 9 (1867–73): 379–415]. Does not believe that the "distributive" and "cyclical" properties, which CW claims characterise the existing spiral orders of leaf arrangement, can be shown to be advantageous to plants. CW’s speculations on the origins of the spiral arrangement of leaves are purely hypothetical.

On leaf arrangement. [Badly damaged and almost illegible.]

Outlines his theory on the origin of existing orders of leaf arrangement. Believes spiral and whorled orders have evolved from a primitive distichous arrangement. These arrangements permit a compact bud form of small surface area that can withstand external changes in temperature, and in particular can tolerate frost.