This notebook contains Charles Lyell’s notes from Sept 2nd to 14th, 1845 and is noted at the front as being written while in London and aboard the Steamship Britannia. The index is located in the back of the notebook on pages 109-113 and two unnumbered pages. Notes are in pencil and ink. The Steamship Britannia refers to the Cunard Line's RMS Britannia, which began her first regular passenger and cargo service in 1840, sailing from Liverpool to Boston.

Content warning: Lyell uses his Scientific Notebooks to gather evidence, based on both his own observation, by reviewing other people's works, by correspondence, asking questions and analyses. The language used in this index is historical, discriminatory and may cause offence.

The following table of contents is Lyell's own words, copied from Lyell's own index, found at the end of the notebook, and transcribed from digital surrogates using the platform Transkribus.
When known, Lyell's abbreviations and contractions have been expanded using brackets []. When writing is unclear, and transcription is not possible, this is denoted using [...]. Quotation marks are Lyell's own. Ditto marks are indicated by a hyphen, with the repeated term given in square brackets to ease searching. The inclusion of [sic] indicates the misspelling of a word is deliberate and taken from the notebook.

Index 120.
Sept[ember] 2nd 1845, to
p. 1 X List of books in box for Boston
p. 3 & 10 Melania inquinata of Gergovia
p. 4 and 16 Gergovia Melanopsis et cetera
p. 6 Brit[ish] Mus[eum] Kangaroos, Deinotherium
p. 8 - [British Museum] Waterhouse Geography of Mammalia
p. 10 Guiana [sic Guyana] Schomberg [sic Schomburgk] not for European workmen
p. 11 E. Forbes on Terebrat[ula] caput serpentis & dredged recent shells 1845
p. 11 Channing, Dr. sermon ag[ainst] terrifying a congregation
p. 13 Negro barber supporting his master Colden
p. 13 Auvergne Mt. Perrier (Museum?) mammalia
p. 14 Falconer on Deinotherium Elephant
p. 15 Tiger anatomy of, scizzor [sic scissor] like teeth
p. 16 X War ab[out] Texas apprehended Stokes
p. 16 Cabmen at London calling another gentleman
p. 18 X Railway rate of 32 m[iles] an hour & price
p. 18 Rathbone Mr. of Liverpool agrees with me about slavery & my book
p. 20 Blanco White, Thom was authorized to print Norton’s letter
p. 20 Slavery B. White cites Exodus in favor of
p. 20 Everett in Mass[achusetts]. bequest
p. 20 - [Everett] on Reporter missing finer parts of speeches
p. 20 X - [Everett] Athanasion Creed & Wiberforce on
p. 20 Slavery - defense of sudden emancipat[ion] that it w[ould] have prevent[ed] doubling of blacks
p. 22 Toleration, form of prayer for all sects in Engl[and]
p. 22 X Ladies of U.S. in N[orth] independ[ent] of servants
p. 22 X Cambria’s passage in 11 days 7 hours
p. 22 Texas Annexat[ion] may free V[irgina] K[entucky] et cetera Ward
p. 24 California & Mexico - [Ward]
p. 24 Polks paper the Union
p. 24 New Y[ork] Herald too much cited in Europe
p. 24 Cumberland coal failed for steamer
p. 24 Southern Plantation spend liberally
p. 24 Texas senators will lower senate of U.S.
p. 26 Otis took 26 y[ears] ago 14 days to Washington
p. 26 Iceberg detaining steamer 30 hours in May
p. 26 Virginia Western like a northern state, Ward
p. 26 Fatalism “our destiny” Texas
p. 26 Science effect of its cultiv[ation] on power of churchmen
p. 28 Progressive Christianity, Protestants in Puseyism
p. 30 Gallatin, sketch of his career by Everett
p. 30 Indian languages in America no proof of antiquity
p. 32 Humboldt thought that Aboriginal since Xtianity [sic Christianity]
p. 32 Language of 50 words soon changed
p. 32 X Experimental Squadron
p. 32 & 40 X Barbadoes, [sic Barbados] Mr. Knight’s acc[ount] of popul[ation] & effect of emancip[ation], Govern[ment] black aides
p. 34 X Antigua Emancip[ation] successful
p. 34 Climate of Guiana [sic Guyana] & Demerara bad for negros
p. 34 X W[est]. Indian Experiment not tried in 10 y[ears]
p. 36 Blanco, W[hite]. 2d Trav[els] connex[tion] of science & religion
p. 36 “Leave all meaner things” to the democracy
p. 36 Unitarianism at Boston not cause of geology being liberally treated Everett
p. 38 D[uke]. of Northumb[erland] afraid of Geology
p. 38 B[ishop]. of Chichester Gilburt & puseyism
p. 38 Cogswell formerly edit[or] N. Y. Rev[iew]
p. 38 Everett says Times & English Press cites Lynch law et cetera not bequests of Mass[achusetts]
p. 38 Mt. Dor [sic Mont. d’Or] dicotiled[ons] [sic dicotyledons] [‘wood’ deleted] leaves queries
p. 40 Auvergne Age of limagne freshw[ater] mammalia
p. 40 Romanism De Tocqueville prophecy false
p. 40 Porpoises shoal of
p. 40 D[aniel]. Webster, his debts p[aid] will never be Pres[ident]. U.S. [‘Pres. US’ interlined]
p. 42 Pennsylv[ania] Capital prop[osed] to be removed from Harrisburg to Philad[elphia] [Waln?]
p. 42 - [Pennsylvania Capital] County v[?ery]. monied interest opposed it
p. 42 X Liverpool via Halifax to Boston 2850 m[iles].
p. 42 & 44 X Episcopal church, unity of, Stevens, effect of puseyism & N.Y. affairs
p. 44 X Pilgrim father relics, Table of Mayflower
p. 44 X Relics of mother of Constantine crucif[ied]
p. 48 Blanco W[hite]. ag[ainst] authenticity of table at Rome
p. 48 Holy coat of Treves
p. 50 Steam ship advantage of over sailing in a storm [‘a storm’ interlined]
p. 50 X Unitarians slow increase of in N.Y.
p. 50 X Progress will come from improved mod[eration] of other sects
p. 52 Unitarians, Norton ag[ainst] German writers
p. 54 X Britannia steamer, day of starting - birds seen
p. 54 Spurzheim Dr. head of [‘mon’ deleted; presumably started to write ‘monument’] cast taken
p. 54 X Steamer relative size of & of small steamer at Liverpool to Columbus’s ship
p. 54 Boston so named because Cotton Vicar of B[oston].
p. 56 X Britannia, course of ship
p. 56 Irish voters & Romanists, influence of
p. 58 Burning Spring, adaptat[ion] of
p. 58 Whiskey drinking, instead of cow’s milk
p. 58 Negro twins a white & a black, Knight
p. 60 Mulattos not less productive
p. 60 X Barbadoes [sic Barbados] blacks raised by Sir. C. Gray [sic Grey]
p. 60 - [Barbadoes] black aides [...] [...]
p. 60 X Rich Barbadians go to England
p. 62 Texas annexed less negro, then if independent
p. 62 Cambria & other steamers longest & shortest passages
p. 62 Humboldt, Carus, & Muller cast of skull
p. 62 Iceberg aground, seals in it, June 1844
p. 64 - [Iceburg] Newfoundland used as target
p. 64 Webster, D[aniel]. Davis J[ohn]. & Judge Storey [sic Story]
p. 64 Storey [sic Story] & J[erry]. Mason think U.S. constitution has failed
p. 66 Repudiation Pennsylvania has lost by [? deflection]
p. 66 Catholics at N.Y. cannot stop Educat[ion]
p. 66 Conveyances now separate branch Boston
p. 66 Transcendentalism, Emmerson, Mason
p. 68 Everetts work pub[lished]
p. 68 Railway Utica pays Bostonians 8 per cent
p. 68 X Universal suffrage soften master manufact[urer]
p. 68 [& 72] X Newspapers, village one good effect of
p. 70 Suffolk Bank Boston operat[ion] of
p. 72 & 74 X Preston “ice & granite” N[ew]. Engl[and] growing rich
p. 72 X Manners toward inferiors in U.S. wh[?ich]. good
p. 72 Steamers exceed liners most when longest out
p. 74 X New Englanders who rise, why superior
p. 74 Slaves treated like children in S[outh].
p. 74 X Ladies why spoilt in N[orth].
p. 74 Temperance ship pay less insurance
p. 76 Postage reduced
p. 76 X Sterility of N[ew]. England, Gen[eral] Jackson’s surprise [‘-prise’ interlined]
p. 76 - [Sterility] favorable to railways
p. 76 Catholic priests & B[ishop] Hughes at N.Y.
p. 78 X Abolitionists voted so as to defeat Clay
p. 78 Copper of L[ake]. Superior
p. 80 Migration of Cat-bird to same tree, Greig
p. 80 S[outh]. C[arolina] rice grounds deadly to Whites
p. 80 Valley of Geneseo healthier now, Greig
p. 80 X Coolies, importat[ion] of 15000 in 1846 [on page 80 of the Notebook, the year is written as 1845]
p. 82 X Equinoctial Gale, advantage of steamer
p. 84 X Millerites - in N[ew]. Engl[and] - Mr. Reid
p. 84 X Athanasian Creed as Colours to the blind
p. 86 Harvard Coll[ege] shows intolerance to Unitarianism
p. 86 X Baptists & Methodists founding colleges
p. 86 & 88 X Millenium Daniels prophecy
p. 88 X Sects flourish in proport[ion] to extravagance
p. 88 Articles, 39, called by Taylor Art[icle] of Peace
p. 88 Anglican Church, Repose of checked progress [‘gress’ interlined]
p. 88 D. Webster & Clay mutually jealous
p. 90 Clay, Ward’s opinion of his politics
p. 92 Binney of Philadeph[ia] Party spirit
p. 92 McClean [sic McLane] minister to Engl[and] - [Party spirit]
p. 92 America, repudiation & intriguing appears worse because all laid bare & open
p. 94 - [America] no waiting for posthumous memoir
[p. 94] - [America] public men exposed, no idols
p. 96 - [America] public opinion is less sound 30 y[ears] ago
p. 96 Reduction of Postage
p. 96 Judge Storey [sic Story] & Mason in despair & for investing in England [‘vesting in England’ interlined]
p. 98 United States Bank, failure, why, Ward
p. 98 Barings & C[ompany] [...] to negotiate U.S. loan
p. 98 Old & New Styles L[ord] Chesterfield
p. 100 Scandal to the church weighed ag[ainst] inconvenience of disturbing popular faith
p. 100 Education of the masses can alone remedy
p. 102 Recognized error tangle or winked it
p. 104 Love of Truth weak, moral cowardice
p. 104 Boston Banks suspended payment for 9 months
p. 104 New State Banks for Government deposits
p. 106 Harvard Coll[ege]. Swedenborgian & Methodist
p. 106 State loans sh[ould]. be illegal, Mr. Ward
p. 106 X Climate of Boston, sickly look
p. 106 X Gulls & birds 300 m[iles]. from land
p. 108 X Storm of Sept[ember]. 14th