TX ORCIIIDE.E AND ASCLEPIADE.E. 497 



are iiichulcd in a poucli or biirsiciila, lie describes and 

 figures pcrfonitions in the Ijaek of tlie pouch, tlirougli wliich 

 the fecundatinii- matter is conununicated from the ^huids 

 to the stigma; and one of the figures is intended to repre- 

 sent a gknd in the act of parting Avith the fecundating matter. 



It is impossible to judge correctly of Mr. Bauer's theory 

 mitil all the proofs and arguments in its favour are adduced. 

 I may observe, however, that those already published are 

 by no means satisfactory to me. 



For, in the tirst ])lace, in the very early stage in which, ^g-j* 

 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 deve- 

 lopment, nor that position which they afterwards take, and 

 wdn'ch gives the apex of the nucleus or point of impregna- 

 tion the proper direction, with regard to the supposed im- 

 pregnating surface. 



Seccmdlv, in the fio;ure which may be said to exhibit a 

 demonstration of the correctness of the theory, — in that, 

 namely, representing the gland in the act of parting with 

 the fecundating matter, — the magnifying power employed 

 (which is only fifteen times) is surely insufficient for the 

 establishment of a fact of this kind; while the diseno;af]re- 

 ment of minute granules, which no doubt often takes place 

 when the gland is innnersed in water, may readily be ac- 

 counted for in another way.^ 



drawinf^s of wliich were made in 1800, that Mr. Bauer must, from tliat time at 

 least, have correctly understood the origin of the glands in Ophrydcre. There 

 is notiiing, however, in any of the figures in Tab. 3 of the first part at variance 

 with their ex])lanations, from which 1 judged of his opinion. It may therefore 

 be concluded that Mr. Bauer had not examined these explanations before their 

 publication. 



' This second observation ought not now to be taken into account, as in the 

 second part of Mr. Bauer's Illustrations the following correction occurs re- 

 specting the figure alluded to (Tab. 3. fig. b). 



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

 fecundating matter is sup|)osed 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." 



I may here, however, remark, that it was evidently not mv intent iou, in the 



32 



