1865 1881] F. M U I.I I 355 



astonishes mo. Arc you Mire there is no mistake? The Letter 679 

 difference in size of flower and wonderful difference in 

 and structure of pollen-grains naturally make me rather 

 sceptical. I never fail to admire and to be surprised at the 

 number of points to which you attend. I go on slowly at 

 my next book, and though I never am idle, I make but slow 

 progress ; for I am often interrupted by being unwell, and my 

 subject of sexual selection has grown into a very large one. 

 1 have also had to correct a new edition of my Origin} and 

 this has taken me six weeks, for science progress) > at railroad 

 speed. I cannot tell you how rejoiced I am that your book 

 is at last out ; for whether it sells largely or not, I am certain 

 it will produce a great effect on all capable judges, though 

 these arc few in number. 



P.S. — I have just received your letter of Jan. 12th. I 

 am greatly interested by what you say mi Eschscholtzia ; 1 

 wish your plants had succeeded better. It seems pretty clear 

 that the species is much more self-sterile under the climate of 

 Brazil than here, and this seems to me an important result. 2 

 1 have no spare seeds at present, but will send for some from 

 the nurseryman, which, though not so good for our purpose, 

 will be worth trying. I can send some of my own in the 

 autumn. You could simply cover up separately two or three 

 single plants, and see if they will seed without aid, — mine did 

 abundantly. Very many thanks for seeds of Oralis : how 1 

 wish I had more strength and time to carry on these experi- 

 ments, but when I write in the morning, 1 have hardly heart 

 to do anything in the afternoon. Your grass is most wonder- 

 ful. You ought to send account to the Bot. Zeitung. Could 

 you not ascertain whether the barbs are sensitive, and how- 

 soon they become spiral in the bud ? Your bird is, I have n>.> 

 doubt, the Molothrus mentioned in my Journal of Travels^ 

 p. 52, as representing a North American species, both with 

 cuckoo-like habits. 1 know that seeds from same spike 

 transmitted to a certain extent their proper qualities ; but 

 as far as I know, no one has hitherto shown how far this 

 holds good, and the fact is very interesting. The experiment 

 would be well worth trying with flowers bearing different 

 numbers of petals. Your explanation agrees beautifully with 



1 The 5th edition, 

 ^ee Letter 677. 



