My dear Sir

I have received your kind letter of yesterday’s date, containing what I by no means expected or wished for, namely a cheque from you in aid of M^r. Murray’s bargain.— I do not like to accept this, although under the circumstances it is by no means unwelcome,— the utmost of what M^r. Murray proposed to pay me was £15, & I think you will see by the Index now that it is in type, that the labour bestowed upon it would not be very well paid at that rate.— If M^r. Murray, seeing that the Index is not an ordinary one, should be inclined to make some addition to his original bargain, (if bargain it can be called), I shall ask your permission to send you back this sum of £5.5.-, my gratitude for your kindness & consideration being the same in either case.—¹ I am very glad that you are so well pleased with the Index & hope the public may be equally appreciative.—

I have sent my proof sheets to you, thinking that this would save time,— by this post I send 8 pages, & have still 1 sheet to read, which I will finish tonight & forward to you tomorrow morning.—

I send also the following notes for errata in Vol. II.,— Cratægus oxycantha pp. 18, 232, 258, should be oxyacantha; Dianthus armoria p: 90 = armeria; Ipomæa p. 128 should be Ipomœa; on p. 156 is Casuarinus for Casuarius & Grus cineria for cinerea; on p. 168 Œsculus stands for Æsculus; & on p. 300 anastomising for anastomosing.—²

In connexion with the crossing of the Javanese cattle with the Banteng,³ it struck me that there is a curious indication of the same practice in one of Sinbad’s voyages, when he describes a mare tethered on the sea coast, to be covered by a horse which was said to come out of the sea, the progeny being kept for the king’s use.— You will think that I have given too much time to the Arabian Nights Entertainments, but the reference to crossing & selection struck me as interesting—⁴

Hoping that when next I hear from you I may have better accounts of your health, I remain, Dear Sir | Your’s always truly | W. S. Dallas.

C. Darwin Esq^r.

Vol. I. p. 76. Phascochœrus, should be Phacochœrus