To T. H. Farrer 19 May [1868]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
May 19
My dear Mr Farrer
Many thanks for your notes. I do not doubt that you are right & I wrong. How I came to make such a blunder I do not know, for I examined the flowers repeatedly. I suppose I reasoned from the shape of the caudicle, & it is a fatal fault to reason whilst observing, though so necessary before hand, & so useful afterwards.2
I will try to find a specimen & convict myself. I wish you or some one cd find out what insects visit the fly ophrys, & for what purpose.3
I am delighted to hear that you are interested about the structure of orchids; I was formerly quite fascinated with these plants; especially with O. pyramidalis & the common Listera.4
Many thanks for the facts about dogs.5
Believe me | My dear Mr Farrer | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Summary
Thanks THF for correcting the error in Orchids.
Asks him to find out what insects visit the fly orchid and for what purpose.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6185
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Henry Farrer, 1st baronet and 1st Baron Farrer
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Linnean Society of London (LS Ms 299/2)
- Physical description
- LS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6185,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6185.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16