IN 0RCHIDE2E AND ASCLEPIADE^. 497 



are included in a pouch or bursicula, he describes and 

 figures perforations in the back of the pouch, through which 

 the fecundating matter is communicated from the glands 

 to the stigma ; and one of the figures is intended to repre- 

 sent a gland in the act of parting with the fecundating matter. 



It is impossible to judge correctly of Mr. Bauer's theory 

 until all the proofs and arguments in its favour are adduced. 

 I may observe, however, that those already published are 

 by no means satisfactory to me. 



For, in the first place, in the very early stage in which, imi 

 according to this theory, impregnation is supposed to be 

 effected, it appears to me that the pollen is not in a state to 

 impart its fecundating matter, nor the stigma to receive it ; 

 and it may be added, though this is of less weight, that 

 the ovula have neither acquired the usual degree of deve- 

 lopment, nor that position which they afterwards take, and 

 which gives the apex of the nucleus or point of impregna- 

 tion the proper direction, with regard to the supposed im- 

 pregnating surface. 



Secondly, in the figure which may be said to exhibit a 

 demonstration of the correctness of the theory, — in that, 

 namely, representing the gland in the act of parting with 

 the fecundating matter, — the magnifying power employed 

 (which is only fifteen times) is surely insufficient for the 

 establishment of a fact of this kind ; while the disengage- 

 ment of minute granules, which no doubt often takes place 

 when the gland is immersed in water, may readily be ac- 

 counted for in another way.-' 



drawings of wliioli were made in 1800, that Mr. Bauer must, from that time at 

 least, have correctly understood the origin of the glands in Ophrydese. There 

 is nothing, however, in any of the figures in Tab. 3 of the first part at variance 

 with their explanations, from which I judged of his opinion. It may therefore 

 be concluded that Mr. Bauer had not examined these explanations before their 

 publication. 



' This second observation ought not now to be taken into account, as in the 

 second part of Mr. Bauer's Illustrations the following correction occurs re- 

 specting the figure alluded to (Tab. 3. fig. 8). 



"This is in some measure an ideal figure to represent in what way the 

 fecundating matter is supposed to leave tlie caudicula and stigmatic gland ; for 

 this reason there has been no attention paid to preserving a proportion between 

 tiie pollen mass and the fecundating matter." 



I may here, however, remark, that it was evidently not my intention, in the 



32 



