THE ANNALS 



lU^^ 



MAGAZINE OF NxAFURAL HISTORY. 



[FOURTH SERIES.] 

 No. 21. SEPTEMBER 1869. 



XVI. — Xofes on the Fertilization of Orchids, 

 By Charles Darwin, M.A., F.R.S., &c. 



To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, 



Having di-awn up some notes for a French translation of 

 my work '■ On the various contrivances by which British and 

 Foreign Orchids are Fertilized by Insects ' (1862), it has ap- 

 peared to me that these notes would be worth publishing in 

 English. I have thus been able to bring up the literature of 

 the subject to the present day, by giving references to, together 

 with very brief abstracts of, all the papers published since my 

 work appeared. These papers contain, on the one hand, cor- 

 rections of some serious errors into which I had fallen, and, 

 on the other hand, confirmations of many of my statements. 

 I have also been able to add, from my own observations and 

 those of others, a few new facts of interest. A heading is 

 given to each note, which will show the nature of the correc- 

 tion or addition, without any reference to my book ; but I have 

 added in a parenthesis the page to Avhich the note ought to be 

 appended. 



Gentlemen, 

 Down, Beckenhani, Kent. Your obedient Servant, 



July 23, 1869. ChAKLE.S DarwiX. 



Orchis or Anacamptis pyramidalis (p. 20). — The late Prof. 

 Treviranus has confirmed (Botanische Zeitung, 1863, p. 241) 

 my observations on this remarkable species ; but he differs from 

 me in one or two minor points. 



On the kiirds of Insects which hahituaUy visit and fertilize 

 some of the common British species of Orclus (p. 35). — I believe 

 A an. tt- May. X. Jlitst. Ser. 4. I o/. i v. 11 



