i86i.] FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. 439 



him is shown in such extracts as the following from a letter 

 to Sir J. D. Hooker (July 27, 1861) : — 



"You cannot conceive how the Orchids have delighted 

 me. They came safe, but box rather smashed ; cylindrical 

 old cocoa- or snuff-canister much safer. I enclose postage. 

 As an account of the movement, I shall allude to what I sup- 

 pose is Oncidium, to make certain, — is the enclosed flower 

 with crumpled petals this genus ? Also I most specially want 

 to know what the enclosed little globular brown Orchid is. 

 I have only seen pollen of a Cattleya on a bee, but surely 

 have you not unintentionally sent me what I wanted most 

 (after Catasetum or Mormodes), viz. one of the Epidendreas ? ! 

 I particularly want (and will presently tell you why) another 

 spike of this little Orchid, with older flowers, some even al- 

 most withered." 



His delight in observation is again shown in a letter to 

 Dr. Gray (1863). Referring to Criiger's letters from Trini- 

 dad, he wrote : — " Happy man, he has actually seen crowds of 

 bees flying round Catasetum, with the pollinia sticking to 

 their backs ! " 



The following extracts of letters to Sir J. D. Hooker illus- 

 trate further the interest which his work excited in him : — 



" Veitch sent me a grand lot this morning. What wonder- 

 ful structures ! 



" I have now seen enough, and you must not send me more, 

 for though I enjoy looking at them much, and it has been 

 very useful to me, seeing so many different forms, it is idle- 

 ness. For my object each species requires studying for 

 days. I wish you had time to take up the group. I would 

 give a good deal to know what the rostellum is, of which I 

 have traced so many curious modifications. I suppose it 

 cannot be one of the stigmas,* there seems a great tendency 

 for two lateral stigmas to appear. My paper, though touch- 

 ing on only subordinate points will run, I fear, to 100 MS. 

 folio pages ! The beauty of the adaptation of parts seems 



* It is a modification of the upper stigma. 



