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Invites HNM to Down on 9 May.

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Discusses Pallasian doctrine; considers plants are splendid for making one believe in natural selection.

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Requests a copy of Ray Lankester’s lecture or essay on degeneration (Lankester, E. Ray. 1880. Degeneration: A chapter in Darwinism. London: Macmillan.).

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Hopes that Lankester will come stay next Sunday. Clark, Galton and Moseley will also be there.

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Expresses his delight with and admiration for THH’s "Coming of age [of The origin of species]" in Nature [22 (1880): 1–4].

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Corrects CD’s statement [Descent 1: 19] that the platysma myoides muscle cannot be brought into voluntary action. He can move every one of his facial muscles.

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Thanks for information.

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Writes regarding an [unspecified] election at a university. JL wonders whether William Darwin would speak to two Southampton men about it.

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Forwards John Lubbock’s letter and hopes WED might influence the men "for the sake of science".

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Cannot offer any assistance in urging Government to aid JT’s experiments. Thinks best chance through [William Edward?] Forster. William Carruthers reported to Royal Agricultural Society that JT’s attempt was hopeless.

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Hopes CD does not think his faith in natural selection is weak because he omitted mention of it in his lecture.

Is working on dogs. They will make a case for "Darwinismus".

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Comments on natural selection. Sometimes he can persuade himself that it is of quite subordinate importance, but so many structures have been explained by it that he can also persuade himself that every structure developed through it. Cites H. G. Bronn’s list [of structures not explicable by natural selection].

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Has planted six, as opposed to eleven acres last year, to keep within expenditure. Must pollen be used immediately? Fourteen landowners are growing potatoes for JT.

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Invites JF to Down.

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Thanks for money for further subscription to Index; FEA soon to step down as editor.

On CD’s solid reputation in America among rising men of science.

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Lends BJS Titus Coan’s Adventures in Patagonia [1880].

Thanks him for copies of the missionary journal.

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Can CD explain why apes still exist, now that humans have evolved.

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Thanks GC for having sent his book [La teoria di Darwin criticamente esposta (1880)].

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Thanks for CD’s comments on his paper ["On a point relating to brain dynamics", Nature 22 (1880): 29–30].

Contends that self-interest as a motive for conduct is more salutary than is generally thought, and should be considered in the evolution of morality.

Summary

Thanks for two pamphlets;

Otto Zöckler’s [Darwin’s Grossvater (1880)] he thinks worthless.