694 Mr. Brown on the Organs and Mode of 



For, in the first place, in the very early stage in which, 

 according to this theory, impregnation is supposed to be 

 effected, it appears to me that the pollen is not in a state to 

 impart its fecundating matter, nor the stigma to receive it ; and 

 it may be added, though this is of less weight, that the ovula 

 have neither acquired the usual degree of development, nor 

 that position which they afterwards take, and which gives the 

 apex of the nucleus or point of impregnation the proper direc- 

 tion, with regard to the supposed impregnating surface. 



Secondly, in the figure which may be said to exhibit a de- 

 monstration of the correctness of the theory, — in that, namely, 

 representing the gland in the act of parting with the fecun- 

 dating matter, — the magnifying power employed (which is only 

 fifteen times,) is surely insufficient for the establishment of a 

 fact of this kind ; while the disengagement of minute granules, 

 which no doubt often takes place when the gland is immersed 

 in water, may readily be accounted for in another way*. 



Thirdly, I have never been able to find those perforations, re- 

 presented by Mr. Bauer, in the bursiculae of Orchis and Ophrys, 

 and the existence of which in these genera is essential to his 

 hypothesis. 



And, lastly, the appearance of the stigma in Bletia Tanker- 



* This second observation ouglit not now to be taken into account, as in the second 

 part of Mr. Bauer's Illustrations the following correction occurs respecting the figure 

 alluded to (Tab. 3. fig. 8.) 



" This is in some measure an ideal figure to represent in what way the fecundating 

 matter is supposed to leave the caudicula and stigmatic gland ; for this reason there 

 has been no attention paid to preserving a proportion between the pollen mass and the 

 fecundating matter." 



1 may here, however, remark, that it was evidently not my intention, in the observa- 

 tion in question, to throw any doubt on the correctness of Mr. Bauer's figure, being 

 aware that very minute granular matter, separating from the gland when immersed in 

 water, is actually visible with a lens of about half an inch focus. I objected to it only 

 as a satisfactory proof of the theory referred to. 



villia. 



