1865 — iSSiJ I Mil. LI I. 



States has described a species, and ns to d"iibt whether Lett© 

 it is heterostyled, for he thinks the diffi rence in the length of 

 the pistil depends merely on its growth! In my new book 

 I shall use all the information and specimens which you have 

 sent me with respect to the heterostyled plants, and your 

 published notice. 



One chapter will be devoted to cleistogamic species, and 

 I will just notice your new grass case. My son Francis 

 desires me to thank you much for your kindness with respect 

 to the plants which bury their seeds. 



I never fail to feel astonished, when I receive one of your 

 letters, at the number of new facts you arc continually observ- 

 ing. With respect to the great supposed subterranean animal, 

 may not the belief have arisen from the natives havin 

 seen large skeletons embedded in cliffs? I remember finding 

 on the banks of the Parana a skeleton of a Mastodon, and the 

 Gauchos concluded that it was a burrowing animal like the 

 Bizcacha.' 



I o F. Muller. L e„ er ■ 



Down, May 14th [1877]. 



I wrote to you a few days ago to thank you about Ponte- 

 deria, and now I am going to ask you to add one more to the 

 many kindnesses which you have done for me. I have made 

 many observations on the waxy secretion on leaves which 

 throw ^\1 water (r.^'., cabbage, Tropceolutn), and 1 am now 

 going to continue my observations. Docs any sensitive 

 species of Mimosa grow in your neighbourhood? If so, will 

 you observe whether the leaflets keep shut during long con- 

 tinued warm rain. I find that the leaflets open if the}' arc 

 continuously syringed with water at a temperature of about 

 19 C, but if the water is at a temperature of 33 — }> C, they 

 keep shut for more than two hours, and probably longer. If 

 the plant is continuously shaken so as to imitate wind the 



1 On the supposed existence in Patagonia oi' a itic land-sloth, 



see Natural Science, XIII., 1878. p. 28S, where Ameghino's discovery 

 of the skin of Neomylodon listed was practically first made known, sin 

 his privately published pamphlet was not generally seen. The animal 

 was afterwards identified with a Glossotkerium^ closely allied to Owen's 

 G\ Darwini, which has been named Glossotherium listed ox Grypotherium 

 domestcium. For a good account of the discoveries see Smith Woodward 

 in Natural Science, XV., 1899, p. 351, where the literature is given. 





