388 BOTANY [Chap. XI 



Letter 708 To T. H. Fairer (Lord Farrer). 



The following letter refers to a series of excellent observations on the 

 fertilisation of Leguminosae, made by Lord Farrer in the autumn of 1869, 

 in ignorance of Delpino's work on the subject. The result was published 

 in Nature, Oct. 10th and 17th, 1872, and is full of interesting suggestions. 

 The discovery of the mechanism in Coronilla mentioned in a note was 

 one of the cases in which Lord Farrer was forestalled. 



Down [1872]. 



I declare I am almost as sorry as if I had been myself fore- 

 stalled — indeed, more so, for I am used to it. It is, however, a 

 paramount, though bothersome duty in every naturalist to try 

 and make out all that has been done by others on the subject. 

 By all means publish next summer your confirmation and a 

 summary of Delpino's observations, with any new ones of 

 your own. Especially attend about the nectary exterior to 

 the staminal tube. 1 This will in every way be far better than 

 writing to Delpino. It would not be at all presumptuous in 

 you to criticise Delpino. I am glad you think him so clever ; 

 for so it struck me. 



Look at hind legs yourself of some humble and hive-bees ; 

 in former take a very big individual (if any can be found) for 

 these are the females, the males being smaller, and they have 

 no pollen-collecting apparatus. I do not remember where it 

 is figured — probably in Kirby & Spence — but actual inspection 

 better. . . . 



Please do not return any of my books until all are finished, 

 and do not hurry. 



I feel certain you will make fine discoveries. 



Letter 709 To T. H. Farrer (Lord Farrer). 



Sevenoaks, Oct. 13th, 1872. 

 I must send you a line to say how extremely good your 

 article appears to me to be. It is even better than I thought, 

 and I remember thinking it very good. I am particularly 

 glad of the excellent summary of evidence about the common 

 pea, as it will do for me hereafter to quote ; nocturnal insects 

 will not do. I suspect that the aboriginal parent had bluish 

 flowers. I have seen several times bees visiting common and 



1 This refers to a species of Coronilla in which Lord Farrer made the 

 remarkable discovery that the nectar is secreted on the outside of the 

 calyx. See Nature, July 2nd, 1874, p. 169 ; also Letter 715. 



