298 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



" longer to impregnate. I reach down your book, turn 

 "to your figure at p. 179, and recognize the parts well 

 "enough. Then, with a toothpick, I lift the anther 

 " and out come the pollinia, very well depicted by you 

 "at p. 185, Fig. C, except that in this my species the 

 " pollinia masses are much larger in proportion to the 

 " viscid disc. The disc is viscid enough, and I carry the 

 " whole on a toothpick. Now I want to find where to 

 " deposit it. I take for granted that it is in the hollow 

 " (marked a in my sketch), which is the stigma. But 

 " there is no viscosity there, nor anywhere near, up or 

 "down, not the slightest; and I cannot get the pollen 

 " to adhere. How can this plant be fertilized ? And how 

 " would any insect do it ? And what would an insect 

 " be about to touch the tip of this isolated projecting 

 " column ? Supposing the great bee, or Scolia, or what 

 " not, wants to get at the hollow hypochil (though I 

 " don't find any honey there^, he would alight on the 

 " epichil (whose surface is already three-quarters of an 

 "inch from the rostellum, and which, being movable, 

 " would bend away still further), and creep between the 

 " horns of the mesochil ; how thus could he touch the 

 " anther ? and if he did, how could he lodge the pollen 

 " on the stigma ? And if he did, how could it stick, seeing 

 " the place is not sticky ? 



" Do resolve me these doubts ; and believe me, 

 " My dear sir, 



" Ever yours truly, 



" P. H. GOSSE. 



" The disc at the end of the caudicle adheres to the 

 " stigma, but the pollen masses project, and won't touch 

 " it, though pressed against it with force." 



