Summary

Reports an Araujia in Portugal that captures various insects on the horns of its stigma. Relates this to another asclepiad, Apocynum, which also captures insects. Is this "insectivory" or insect fertilisation?

Summary

Reports observations of T. C. Renshaw on how some flowers of the Tritoma catch bees and other insects. Thinks it may be a contrivance against unbidden visitors, as insects caught are not consumed.

Summary

He will write to Portugal for the insect-capturing Araujia.

Summary

On fertilisation in certain orchids.

Summary

Is glad CD is working on cross- and self-fertilisation; reports recent works of botanists, notably Thomas Meehan’s ["Are insects any material aid to plants in fertilisation?", Philadelphia Press 13 Aug 1875], in which the importance of cross-fertilisation is denied.

Summary

Comments on review [of Insectivorous plants] in New York Independent.

Working on Cross and self-fertilisation.

Summary

Thanks for the seventh of CVR’s Annual reports on the noxious, beneficial and other insects in the state of Missouri (Riley 1869–77).

Summary

Thanks RDF for a part of his book [Australian orchids, vol. 1 (1875–82)]; suggests further observations RDF could make and defends some of his own conclusions.

Summary

"Sambaquis", or shell mounds accumulated by former inhabitants of the coast, contain shells of some animals that FM has never seen living.

Ants that live on imbauba trees (Cecropia) are attracted by small bodies at base of each petiole.

Summary

Thanks for Thomas Belt’s Naturalist in Nicaragua [1874], which confirms some of his observations,

and for Insectivorous plants, which he praises.

Suggests that a book integrating knowledge of plant–animal interactions be written by a Darwinist.

Defines biology as the science of external interactions.

German reception is far more positive than Italian.

Summary

Asks FD to make out [Hermann] Hoffmann’s conclusions about the fertilisation of Phaseolus multiflorus [in Untersuchungen zur Bestimmung des Werthes von Species und Varietät (1869)].

Summary

Asks whether CD has observed that bees limit their visits to a single kind of flower on each journey from the hive, as Aristotle has said they do. What advantage would such a limitation be to the insects?

Summary

CD returns MS of a paper by RLT. "If you have succeeded in separating the ferment, the fact is manifestly important." Asks whether RLT tested the digestive ability of fluid from pitchers without animal matter. This would be necessary to prove that there was ferment in the fluid. CD is glad to hear about the [passage?] for guiding insects; he had guessed this to be the case.

Summary

Thanks for Insectivorous plants.

Believes Lepidoptera are of greater importance as fertilisers in alpine regions than in lowlands.

The famous stone pits of Ohningen are for sale.

Summary

On pitchers of Dischidia and insects found in them.

Summary

A poem on Insectivorous Plants.

Summary

Is staying at a friend’s [T. H. Farrer’s] house for rest until after 6 July, so cannot see CVR at Down.

Hopes he thanked CVR for the last Report [one of CVR’s Annual reports on the noxious, beneficial and other insects of the State of Missouri (1868–76)].

Summary

The insect-capturing Araujia has been forwarded from Portugal.

He discovers Apocynum is not in the same family, and he has misquoted [John Leonard Knapp’s Journal of a naturalist (1829)]; Apocynum captures by stamens, not stigma.

Sends seeds of Portuguese Drosera.

Summary

Response to Insectivorous plants. Surprised that CD did not discuss origin of the contrivances. Critics will interpret them as inexplicable by theory of natural selection.

Summary

On HM’s Befruchtung der Blumen [1873].