18431862] INSECT FERTILISATION 265 



insect crawling out of a recently opened flower would, I believe, Letter 595 

 have parts of the pollen-masses adhering to the back or 

 shoulder. I have seen this in Listera. How I should like 

 to watch the Epipactis. 



If you can at any time send me Spiranthes or Aceras or 

 O. ustulata, you would complete your work of kindness. 



P.S. If you should visit the Epipactis again, would you 

 gather a few of the lower flowers which have been opened 

 for some time and have begun to wither a little, and observe 

 whether pollen is well cleared out of anther-case. I have 

 been struck with surprise that in nearly all the lower flowers 

 sent by you, though much of the pollen has been removed, 

 yet a good deal of pollen is left wasted within the anthers. 

 I observed something of this kind in Cephalanthera grandi- 

 flora. But I fear that you will think me an intolerable bore. 



To A. G. More, Letter 596 



Down, August 5th, 1860. 



I am infinitely obliged for your most clearly stated obser- 

 vations on the bee-orchis. It is now perfectly clear that 

 something removes the pollen-masses far more with you than 

 in this neighbourhood. But I am utterly puzzled about the 

 foot-stalk being so often cut through. I should suspect snails. 

 I yesterday found thirty-nine flowers, and of them only one 

 pollen-mass in three flowers had been removed, and as these 

 were extremely much-withered flowers I am not quite sure of 

 the truth of this. The wind again is a new element of doubt. 

 Your observations will aid me extremely in coming to some 

 conclusion. 1 I hope in a day or two to receive some day- 

 moths, on the probosces of which I am assured the pollen- 

 masses of the bee-orchis still adhere. 2 . . , 



elasticity of the labellum was first observed by Mr. More (see first edition, 

 p. 99). The description of the flower given in the above letter to Mr. 

 More is not quite clear ; the reader is referred to the Fertilisation of 

 Orchids, loc. cit. 



1 Mr. More's observations on the percentage of flowers in which the 

 pollinia were absent are quoted in Fertilisation of Orchids, Ed. I., p. 68. 



2 He was doomed to disappointment. On July I7th, 1861, he wrote 

 to Mr. More : " I found the other day a lot of bee-Ofl/irys with the 

 glands of the pollinia all in their pouches. All facts point clearly to 

 eternal self-fertilisation in this species ; yet I cannot swallow the bitter 

 pill. Have you looked at any this year ? " 



