348 Asa Gray : Jits Life and Work. 



This leads me to ask, Have yoii any butterflies or moths with 

 orchid pollen-masses attaclied to head or eye ? . . . 



Platanthcra Ciliaris, how I wanted it last Summer ! If you 

 could lind it now roots, even, would delight me. . . . 



More than a year after the above letter ^vas i^enned, we 

 find his interest still continued in Drosera : 



Thanks for the plants which came in nice order. . . . 



In Spring, as soon as they can be found, I warit some bulbs of 

 Dronera jiliformiH, and that you should also make some observa- 

 tit>ns which Darwin wants to be made. But he will write to you. 



Two years later he writes about another insectivorous 

 plant : 



Thanks for yours of Dec. 2. . . . 



The Tn6?me will be glad to have your article about Bladderwort, 

 pending. As usual, Darwin is ahead of you. But he has pub- 

 lished nothing yet, only hints have appeared- and he will be 

 pleased that you have hit on it. If you prepare an article for the 

 Tribune I would have some drawings made to show the bladders 

 in wood-cuts. 



Always call on mo, if I cau aid in any way. Dear Dr. Hooker 

 (Kew) has lost his wife suddenly. 



Still later, he is interested in the Florida Plnfjulcuhts, and 

 writes under date of March C), 1S77 : 



Those Pinf/iiirtildx around you are such nice things for their way 

 of cross-fertilizing that 1 li()i)e you are studying tliem and seeing 

 what insects do it. . . . 



Again on jMarch lO, 1(S77 : 



Well, if that little Ilymenopter is the right one, his tongue will 

 be long enough to reacli from tlie top of tlu; si)ur (hctttom of sac) 

 down to the nectar. Please catch and send me one or two, or 

 more, and 1 will lind his name. 



Pray work up an article on these I'iiKjttinilu. 



A bee would fertilize much better than a butterfly, if he could 

 get in as you will see on looking. 



What do you say ? Shall I si-iid you the 'Darwiniana" book, 

 or wait till you come Nortli ? . . . 



On ^lay 14tli of tlie same year tliis ])aragraph occiirs in 

 anotlicr letter: '-As to Pin'/iitculd, I liave had Sprague 

 make good outline-skctclies and dissections to show tlit^ 

 most, and hav(> laid tlu'iu up for future vse yours and 

 l)erliaps mine. . . . Tlic jn-inter kee})S me awfully busy." 



Interestcil as he \v;is in these insectivorous ])l;ints, and 

 es])ecially in ])arwiirs Avork, helping liim by directing 



