Summary

The Salvia has arrived.

Has found several fly orchids coming in flower, but no Cephalanthera or Musk.

Cannot do any teazel work.

Anthelme Thozet has sent him a lot of Ophideres.

Summary

Asks by what action CD believes bee, spider, and fly orchids came to resemble their namesakes

and how the beauty of bivalves could have been produced by natural or sexual selection.

Summary

Discusses the possible explanation of why fly-orchid plants in a correspondent’s garden had no pollen-masses removed while Orchis maculata had all of its pollen-masses removed. CD points out that different orchids are fertilised by different insects. The insects needed to fertilise the fly-orchid may not have inhabited the site of the correspondent’s garden.

Summary

Thanks THF for correcting the error in Orchids.

Asks him to find out what insects visit the fly orchid and for what purpose.

Summary

Is confirmed about the bending of the fly orchid pollinia. [See "Fertilisation of orchids", Collected papers 2: 141.]

Summary

Thanks JTM for information on ants.

Mentions letter "from a Texas gentleman" Gideon Lincecum describing ants that plant seeds [see 3082].

Notes that fly orchid is unattractive to insects. Asks JTM to attempt fertilisation experiment with this plant.

Summary

In his reply to [7227] CD questions the significance of the supposed likeness of the bee, spider, and fly orchids to their presumed namesakes.

He thinks that the beauty of shells is altogether incidental and of no use to the animals.

Summary

Sends a tin full of Ophrys by his brother, who should take about 60 hours to reach Down.

Summary

Reports results of crosses between the two forms of Viola tricolor: 1. Female small flower crossed with male large flower yields all small flowers (cleistogamous self-fertilisation suspected); 2. Male small flower crossed with female large yields intermediate flowers; 3. Large flower crossed with large flower yields self-sterility symptoms.

Summary

Solicits CD’s support for the newly set up Royal Horticultural Society’s Scientific Committee.

Very pleased that he was put into CD’s book [Variation 1: 352].

Sends "hybridising pincers" of his own making.

Summary

Sends his paper on Ophrys insectifera, translated into German by H. G. Reichenbach [Abh. Kais. Leopold.-Carol. Dtsch. Akad. Naturforsch. 33 (1870) no. 3], which shows the intermediates between O. aranifera and O. apifera. He has since gathered information on variation in Ophrys.

Summary

He will repeat the experiments in which CD found that formic acid vapour killed seeds [see 8866]. John Lindley describes effects of other acids on germination.

He has tabulated the large amount of variation in English Ophrys apifera.

Summary

Sends plants from France.

J. B. E. Bornet of Antibes, working in G. A. Thuret’s garden, finds Cistus hybrids do not follow the old dictum of having the mother’s foliage and the father’s habit. Bornet is engaged in long-term study.

JTM seeks invitation to Down.

Summary

Asks CD’s opinion of a paper he has written on papilionaceous flowers.

Summary

Discusses self-fertilisation in bee and spider orchids. Asks JTM to conduct experiment.

Comments on plates [see J. T. Moggridge’s contribution to Flora of Mentone and winter flora of the Riviera, including the coast from Marseilles to Genoa London 1866, 1871. Part II dated 1865; Part I, 1866].

Summary

Rejoices over news of Variation sales.

Pall Mall Gazette review [7 (1868): 555, 636, 652] is undoubtedly by G. H. Lewes [see 5951].

Dinner at Lyells’.

Dean Stanley favours a monument to Faraday in Westminster Abbey.

Perceval Wright is back from Seychelles and reports on plants he collected.

Summary

Thanks JB for "orchid flowers with Diptera".

Summary

Discusses some observations on, and the fertilisation of, Ophrys.

Summary

Discusses fertilisation of flowers by bees. Thanks JTM for drawings.

Summary

Hopes JTM’s health will improve.

Asks for information about crosses of peas.