My Dear Darwin,

There is no measure to my regrets— I literally lament having missed seeing you— I am just come home to find, that you had called and I out. This is the second time—that this evil luck has befallen me. Why did you not write and tell you were to be in town?² I would have had a constable put over me—to stop my going out, for a chat with you is a green spot in the vista of my most agreeable remembrances.

and this time, I wanted so much to have talked to you about the new results, from the Pliocene Fauna of N. America. If Leidy is to be trusted—there were no fewer than 6 genera! & 8 species of Equid⁠⟨⁠æ⁠⟩⁠ besides a Rhinoceros like the Existing Indian species.³ Among the Horses he affirms that there was one which had the milk dentition of Anchitherium—and the permanent teeth of the Horse!! I would willingly believe it if I could—as a fact of great interest to your views.⁴ Anchi was founded on the Palæotherium aurelianense of Cuvier—from the middle or lower miocenes. You will see it figured in the “ossements fossiles”.⁵

I address this note at once to your brother—on the chance that you are staying in town today.⁶ I would go over to see