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 Stanhopea affords 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." 



