Summary

Wants to hear from readers about the way in which the bee-orchid (Ophrys apifera) is fertilised. He has always found it to be self-fertilised but greatly doubts that the flowers of any plant are fertilised for generations by their own pollen. The bee-orchid has sticky glands, which would make it adapted for fertilisation by insects; this makes him want to hear what happens to its pollen-masses in places he has not observed.

Summary

Describes the floral structure and fertilisation of some melastomes;

discusses the direct agency of insects in modifying the structure of flowers.

Summary

On fertilisation in certain orchids.

Summary

Sends Swiss Aquilegia flowers in which insects have eaten away the spurs.

Suggests fetid smell of Stapelia attracts carrion flies.

Summary

Asks for list of families of sleeping plants. Believes sleep is merely modified circumnutation at a particular time of day.

Porlieria has had no water for some time but shows no sign of flagging.

Describes the response of Thalia flowers to touch.

Summary

Encloses answers and corrections [concerning Orchids]. Thanks HGB for translating it.

Summary

Lady Dorothy Nevill is CD’s best chance for Dionaea.

Reports on Belfast meeting of BAAS. Lubbock’s lecture went off admirably. Huxley’s was the magnum opus.

Encloses letter from Mrs Barber on protective coloration of animals.

Summary

Thanks for specimen of Drosophyllum.

Describes capacity of various plants to catch flies.

Cannot name fern specimen.

Laugher pigeon descended from Columba livia.

Discusses tailless dogs.

Believes astronomical phenomenon responsible for oscillation of level of earth’s crust.

Would WCT like copy of Orchids?

Expected plants [Drosophyllum] have arrived.

Summary

Discusses recent correspondence in the Athenæum: the disagreement between Lyell and Hugh Falconer and Owen’s remarks on heterogeny [see 4110].

Briefly discusses orchids and some problems in phyllotaxy.

Mentions the political situation and the quarrelsome behaviour of the English.

Summary

Interested that HM is studying structure of insects in relation to flowers.

Summary

Has put Drosera off while amusing himself with Primula and orchids.

Dionaea is prettily adapted to weight detection.

Summary

Did not intend his last letter as criticism. Is sure CD would not "wriggle out" of a difficulty if he had observed it.

Sends CD a wasps’ nest.

Summary

Observations on Catasetum.

Figs require insects in order to set seed.

Summary

Thanks BSM for orchid specimens. Discusses various species of Orchis and Ophrys.

Summary

Thanks CD for calling attention to a "considerable error" in his observations on Hottonia fertility [in Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)]. [See Forms of flowers, p. 52.]

Summary

Sends his MS of orchid paper ["A few notes on the fecundation of orchids and their morphology", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 127–35] for CD to send to an editor.

CD was right about Catasetum sexes.

Ficus experiments fail.

Summary

Describes work with pollinia of another Orchis species.

Summary

Hooker has told her of CD’s work on insectivorous plants. Offers plants, but her Dionaea plants are too small now.

Summary

Thanks for Forms of flowers.

Summary

Owen wants to be civil, and sneer behind CD’s back.

Those, like Rudolph Wagner, who want to go halfway on theory, are "booked to go further".

Anatomy of orchids.

Huxley says K. E. von Baer goes "a great way with me".