Ewart describes the three ponies that he will send off to Woburn shortly. He states that the main questions relating to the origin of the domestic breeds of the horse will be settled if one of these mares has a foal to one of Russell's Przewalski's stallions. He states that unfortunately his Przewalski's mare is not in foal.

The latter part of the letter, including author's signature, is not present.

Oliphant asks on behalf of the Duke of Bedford for confirmation on when the ponies are likely to arrive at Woburn. He also asks with what stallion Ewart would like them to be crossed.

Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford will purchase the three pony mares from Ewart but not the Przewalski's mare.

Oliphant writes that as neither the brown pony or the foal is not in good condition, he has recommended that the Duke of Bedford have them destroyed unless Ewart has a particular interest in them. He wonders if Ewart would like the carcase of the foal sent to him.

Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford wishes to know what Ewart would like to to do further with the experiments at Woburn with cross-breeding a Przewalski's horse with pony mares. He wonders if the Mongolian stallion kiang and mare would be of any use to Ewart to experiment with on the land he has recently acquired.

Osborn states that the pony has arrived safely in New York. He will have the animal photographed for Ewart soon. He mentions not having read the papers by Mendel and Bateson. He announces that he will be writing to the Duke of Bedford to say that he would be interested in receiving the skeleton of one of his Russian horses if one should die. He also states that James Gidley is revising the species of their miocene, and he criticises Othniel Charles Marsh's phylogeny.

Russell, who signs himself 'Bedford', writes that he is ready to continue experiments with Przewalski's horses and asks Ewart to send the pony mares that he wants to cross to Woburn. He comments that his Grevy's zebra is due to foal soon.