Dear Darwin—

When ignorant folk fancy they have observed something, most likely it is a mare’s nest—¹

Today shooting on the forest here, and being more than half way up the hill of Ben y. Hatt² I found some barnacles on a rock. 1^st. it struck me as curious that barnacles should be so high up. 2^nd. that as they were easily separated from the rock with a pen knife that they had not long since been separated by weather. The piece of rock they were on must have weighed from $\frac{1}{2}$ ton to a ton or more  I looked at a good many places about without finding any more.— I send you the specimens.

I hope you are all well. The reports of M^rs. Hoole I lament to say seem very unfavourable. She appears to be even worse than she was when we were at Downe.³

My little home party would join me in kind regards to you all, but I have forsaken them for a run on grouse moor and forest. I am however off home again tomorrow.

Believe me | Faithfully Yours | J Brodie Innes