Briefe. 
73 
Combretum, Tragia, die ich früher in anderen Theilen unserer Provinz sah. Da 
ich früher den windenden Pflanzen keine besondere Aufmerksamkeit widmete, so 
bin ich zur Zeit nicht im Stande, Ihnen Aufklärung über ihre Gewohnheiten zu 
geben \ 
An Fritz Müller von Darwin «). 
Down-Bromley. Kent S. E. Sept. 20 (1865) 
(received Oct. 26) 
My dear Sir! 
I am very much obliged for your interesting letter, written in such wonderfuUy 
good English, about climbing plants. The case of Haplolophium ^) is new to me and I 
am glad to have seen the tendril of Strychnos. I do not suppose I shall attend any 
more to climbing plants, bat I should like to hear if you ever meet with 2 species of 
the same genus, twining in opposite directions. I should further like much to hear 
whether any twiners can ascend thick trunks. How wonderfully rieh you are in climbing 
plants! As I see you know much more about plants than I do, I sent off by the post 
yesterday a German copy of my Orchis book and two papers on Dimorphism. The 
iatter will I think interest you and perhaps one chapter, for instance that on Catasetum 
in my Orchis book would be worth your reading to shew how perfect the contrivances 
are. Your remarks on the spines in Acasta are quite new to me and seem very probable. 
In my last letter I alluded to Anelasma; I am not sure, but I think I speculated on 
the relation of the branchian filaments to cement tubes, but rejected the idea on account 
of the apparent continuity of the filaments with the outer membrane of this capitulum. 
Perhaps I may have made some mistake for your view now seems to me probable. 
My specimen unfortunately had been removed out of the Sharks flesh. 
The difficulty which you quote from A. Agassiz on the embryology of the Echino- 
dermata is quite beyond me and I should think would be just the subject for you. Any 
how the difficulty is quite as great to L. Agassiz on his views of Classification as to us 
on descent and modification and that is some comfort. 
Does it not often strike you that Natural History is rendered extremely interesting 
by such views as we both hold. This frequently occurred to me when reading your 
work. I am sorry to say my health keeps so weak that I am not able to do an}' 
scientific work. If you write again I should very much like to hear whether you intend 
to remain long at Desterro and how you like your new home. I have always heard 
the Island is most beautiful. Have you ever read my Journal of Researches on Travels 
and if not would you like to have a copy ? With sincere respect my dear Sir yours 
very faithfully 
Ch. Darwin. 
An Darwin*). 
Desterro, Brazil, 31. August 1865. 
Verehrter Herr! 
Ich hoffe, Sie werden einen Brief richtig empfangen haben, in welchem ich 
Ihnen für die Uebersendung Ihrer anregenden Schrift über Kletterpflanzen dankte. 
1) Der übrige Inhalt des Briefes findet sich Ges. Schriften, S. 285 ff. 
2) Der erste Brief aus der langen Reihe (58), welche Darwin an Fritz Müller richtete, ist vom 
10. August 1865 und in Life and Letters of Charies Darwin, III, S. 37 (Uebersetzung von Carus, III, 
S. 36) abgedruckt. Der folgende ist die Antwort auf Fritz Müllers Brief vom 12. August (s. oben). 
3) Ges. Schriften, S. 288. 
4) Dieser umfangreiche Brief ist bis auf die hier wiedergegebenen Anfangsworte in den Ges. Schriften, 
S. 285—288 veröffentlicht. 
