My dear Darwin,

I have been about to write to you many times to ask if you would like to have a very curious foreign bird’s nest, the name of which, and the country it comes from I have quite forgotten. This morning I received a letter from the friend who has the nest,¹ asking me if I had heard whether you would like to have it, as otherwise he w^d. send it to some museum: he thinks it bears upon the question of reasoning power in the (so called) lower animals. I saw a day or two since in a paper that the “missing link” had been discovered in some part of New Guinea in the shape of actual human beings who have tails: is there really any truth in the matter?² You of course would be most likely to have early information if it really is true.

I was very mortified to learn that you had been within two miles of me without my knowing it, for although I have not the honor of Sir John Hawkshaw’s acquaintance I should have taken the liberty of calling to see you.³

Hoping that the New Year finds You and Yours in health and happiness, I am | My dear Darwin, | Yours very truly | A. Mellersh