302 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



"ivory-like horns of the mesochil. I wondered, but 

 "could not account for it, as I felt sure I had not acci- 

 " dentally detached and attached them in such a manner, 

 "while operating on the others. But, just now, in my 

 "examination of the faded spike, I observed, not only 

 " that the pollinia of that flower remained still on the tip 

 " of the horn, but that one of the horns of the other un- 

 " touched flower has lifted its own anther, and carries 

 "the pollinia in triumph on its point. If this is acci- 

 " dental, it is surely a remarkable coincidence. But it 

 " suggests to me the following hypothesis : — That the 

 "movable lip of this curious flower, agitated by the 

 " wind, brings the tips of the horns now and then into 

 " contact with the rostellum, so as to lift the anther, and 

 "carry away the pollinia by touching the viscid disk. 

 " That as soon as the viscum exudes from the stigmatic 

 "cavity and spreads over its surface, similar agitations 

 " of the lip would cause the pollinia to swing across the 

 " stigma, and brushing the exuded globule of viscum, to 

 "adhere. If this is tenable, here is a use for these extra- 

 " ordinary horns. Tell me what you think of the thought. 

 " I regret that I was so hasty in cutting away the faded 

 " spike ; possibly, with a little more obstetric manipula- 

 "tion, or even an agitation of the flowers with my breath, 

 " I might have succeeded in impregnating, and in settling 

 "the point. 



" If my hypothesis should be correct, will it not show 

 "that StanJiopeadJi{or6.?> another example of self-fertiliza- 

 " tion } For the horns of any blossom can rifle only its 

 ''own anther, and can deposit on only its own stigma. 

 " But what an unexpected mode of proceeding ! I enclose 

 "you one of the pollinia carried on the horn. 



"Yours faithfully, 



" P. H. GosSE." 



