Origin of Different Kinds of Adaptations 363 
point for our present consideration is that intermediate forms 
do not exist, although there are fluctuating variations about 
the two types. Moreover, the two kinds of flowers never 
appear on the same plant. 
Darwin tried the effect of fertilizing the long-styled flowers 
with the pollen from the same flower or from other long- 
styled flowers. Unions of this sort he calls illegitimate, for 
reasons that will appear later. He also fertilized the long- 
styled flowers with pollen from short-styled forms. A union 
of this sort is called legitimate. Conversely, the short-styled 
forms were fertilized with their own pollen or with that from 
another short-styled form. This is also an illegitimate union. 
Short-styled forms fertilized with pollen from long-styled forms 
give again legitimate unions. 
The outcome of these different crossings are most curious. 
In the table, page 364, the results of the four combinations 
are given. It will be seen at once that the legitimate unions 
give more capsules, and the seeds weigh more, than in the 
illegitimate unions. 
The behavior of the offspring from seeds of legitimate and 
illegitimate origin is even more astonishing. Darwin found 
in Primula veris (the form just described) that the seeds from 
the short-styled form fertilized with pollen from the same form 
germinated so badly that he obtained only 14 plants, of which 
9 were short-styled and 5 long-styled. The long-styled form 
fertilized with its own-styled pollen produced ‘in the first gen- 
eration 3 long-styled plants. From their seed 53 long-styled 
grandchildren were produced; from their seed 4 long-styled 
great-grandchildren ; from their seed 20 long-styled great- 
great-grandchildren ; and lastly, from their seed 8 long-styled 
and 2 short-styled great-great-great-grandchildren.” 
From other long-styled plants, fertilized with their own- 
form pollen, 72 plants were raised, which were made up of 
68 long-styled and 4 short-styled. In all, 162 illegitimate 
unions of this sort produced 156 long-styled and 6 short- 
