On reading Descent was reminded of having seen, on a visit to an idiot asylum with her father [J. S. Henslow], a woman with long pointed ears.

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].

Criticises at length the concept of submerged continents attaching islands to the mainland in the recent period. Notes drastic alteration of geography required, the dissimilar species on opposite shores of continents, and differences between volcanic islands and mountains of mainland areas. Admits sea-bed subsidence, but not enough to engulf continents. Denies that theory can explain island flora and fauna.

Considers Edward Forbes’s idea a check on study of dissemination of species.

Asks about dark stripes on shoulders and legs of Hungarian horses. Are stripes plainer in foal or adult?

CL’s comments on Origin. Mentions corrections to last chapter suggested by CL.

Comments on lack of peculiar bird species on Madeira and Bermuda. Emphasises importance of American types in Galapagos.

Denies necessity of continued creation of primitive "Monads".

Denies need for new powers and any principle of improvement.

Discusses gradations of intellectual powers.

Adaptive inferiority and extinction of groups of species and genera.

Asserts that climate is less important than the struggle with other organisms.

Suggests an experiment involving primroses and cowslips.

The chapter on hybridisation.

Rudimentary organs.

Gives opinion of Lamarck’s work.

Testimonial in support of WBT’s application for curatorship of the Hartley Institution.

Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s book [Reign of law (1867)].

Cites his own views on diversity of structure and beauty.

Encloses letter from Wallace. Sexual selection: evidence advanced by Wallace.

Discusses correlation of growth.

Comments on article in the North British Review [by Fleeming Jenkin].

Discusses the evidence from physics on the age of the earth.

[Four pages of the final letter are missing, but the draft is complete.]

Invites JJW to visit Down. Will try to get A. R. Wallace and H. W. Bates also.

Enjoyed JJW’s visit.

Interested in changes in plumage of pheasants.

Still at work on sexual selection in birds.

Asks about insects and seeds on leaves of Pinguicula.

Thanks GJR for his letter, regrets pressure of other work prevents his giving GJR’s remarks the attention they deserve. GJR makes clearer how an organ that has started to decrease will go on decreasing.

Regarding Cytisus graft with yellow flowers, CD thinks nurseryman has sold Cytisus adami to JJW’s brother in place of C. purpureus. This explains apparent "sport". [P.S. on envelope:] C. purpureus seeds freely. C. adami never does.

Regrets he cannot sign a memorial for correspondent’s father [Edward Truelove], which states an opinion on a life that is totally unknown to him. Feels that Edward Truelove’s sentence was very harsh [ET was imprisoned and fined for selling "obscene" publications advocating artificial control of conception] even though CD is strongly opposed to all the views expressed.

Comments on R. D. Owen’s Moral physiology [1831].

Sends thanks to the Masters for congratulations on his birthday, saying "the approbation & sympathy of one’s fellow-workers in the acquisition of knowledge is the highest possible reward which any man ought to desire".

Accepts GJR’s offer to prepare sugar-cane paper for publication [Villa Franca and Glass, "New varieties of sugar-cane", Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1880–2): 30–1]. Suggests introduction and outline.

Agrees with GJR on microscope for Grant Allen.

Discusses plate for use in article ["Action of carbonate of ammonia on chlorophyll-bodies", Journal of the Linnean Society of London (Botany) 19: 239–61].

Young Belgian students [L. A. Errera and Gustave Gevaert] ask CD to read their paper, which summarises Cross and self-fertilisation. They criticise CD’s views on the comparative effects of crossing flowers on the same stem and fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen ["Sur la structure et les modes de fécondation des fleurs", Bull. Soc. Bot. Belg. 17 (1878): 38–181, 182–248].

Sending MS.

Used Anton Kerner’s nomenclature for designating crosses.

Thanks CD for Forms of flowers.

CD has made clear that in Cross and self-fertilisation he had not intended to suggest that autogamie (fertilisation of a flower by its own pollen) is superior to gitonogamie (fertilisation of a flower by one on the same plant).

Sends his photograph as requested.