226 ZOOLOGY. 
— From the German of Fitz Müller, Itajhy, Oct., 1872." G. L. G 
“be seen by the following correspondence, that we were in pae 
in saying that the first letter of Mr. Murray on this subject wae 
written to Prof. Marcou. We make reparation for the ae 
tency by publishing the following letters from Prof. Agassit; 
-which copies have been furnished us by Prof. Marcou. They 
_ find complete sterility between relations in those species only which 
like Abutilon are infertile with pollen of the same stock. .... 
Darwin, with his accustomed keenness of vision, has expressed* 
the conjecture that this diminution of fertility, observed go, many 
times, is not a consequence of their hybrid nature, but of too close © 
breeding in-and-in, and I am glad to be able to offer, in the exam- | 
ples of diminished fertility and complete sterility as a consequence | 
of too close breeding in-and-in, in Abutilon-hybrids, herewith com- 
municated, a new proof of the accuracy of Darwin’s hypothesis. 
Tue Fertiiization or Gentians sy Humsre Bees. t —The 
fringed gentian (Gentiana crinita) resembles the above in having 
erect flowers and thé.stamens below the stigmas. The fringed 
lobes of the cordlla spread at right angles. Humble bees work 
upon this very much as they do upon Andrews’ gentian. ; 
There seems to be almost no end to the various contrivances by 
which flowers are fertilized by insects. Flowers closely allied, of — 
the same genus, are fertilized in different ways, so it is not safe to 
make general rules. We may think that insects will act-in a cer- 
tain way, according to our notion, but after carefully watching 
them, we shall often see that they are not doing as we supposed 
they would. We need many patient observers for many years y et, 
to repeat observations made on this subject and to make new ones; 
we want to know how our insects behave upon every species E 
flower from the time they first visit it, to, the time it affords no — 
nectar to attract them.—W. G. Bea, State Agricultural College, 
Lansing, Michigan, Nov. 8, 1873. 
<ooLoar. o ae 
as will 
Gigantic CUTTLE-FISHES OF NEwFOUNDLAND.— It seems, 
dressed to the late Prof. Agassiz (p. 120). It was im 
* Orig. Sp., 4th ed., 295. 
