Lankester announces his resignation from the Chair of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh, citing peculiar conditions of candidature and competition, and previously undisclosed teaching duties as reasons for not accepting the post.

The Correspondence: François Antione Alfred Lacroix to Edwin Ray sub-series consists of:

Lankester writes that he will ask Mr E. Clarke at the Natural History Museum, Edinburgh, to lend him the skull of the okapi. He asks Ewart to cut out a flat piece from the skull (to be replaced afterwards) to aid him in his examination.

Lankester writes that he would like to have the Sarawak horse's skull for the British Museum, as well as some Roman horses. He asks Ewart if he would give the Swiney lectures on 'the history and palaeontology of horses' or 'horses of the past and present', as Scharff has postponed giving them until the following year. Lankester states that he believes the preorbital depression in the modern horse's skull once held a gland.

Lankester thanks Ewart for the proof of his 'horse paper' and reports that he is setting up a complete skeleton of a Przewalski's horse from Woburn. He asks Ewart to tell Mr Linton to send the Roman horse to him at the British Museum.

The year is not written on the letter.

Lankester writes that the box of Roman horse bones has arrived and asks Ewart to confirm what dates he will be giving his twelve Swiney lectures.

The year is not written on the letter.

Lankester presses Ewart to reply to his letters and send him his paper on the embryonic development of the horse. He hopes to be able to send Ewart his account of the new fluid implements from below the red clay of Suffolk.

The year is not written on the letter.

Lankester invites Ewart to visit him at the museum of Exeter College, Oxford to show him carmine staining techniques on a sturgeon skull and other fish specimens. He also suggests that Ewart should visit the college in order to initiate some of the preparations of fish specimens at the Museum. He also suggests several book titles for Ewart's studies.

Lankester writes regarding the vacant post of Chair of Anatomy at the University of Aberdeen, stating his reasons why he believes William McIntosh to be a more suitable candidate for the job. Lankester also chides Ewart for attempting to influence the decision, rather than trying to improve his own standing and renown in the field.

Lankester states that, following the resignation of Charles Wyville Thomson, Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh, he is to prepare a book of testimonials and requests that Ewart writes in favour of him.