To G. H. Darwin 14 [July 1878] 1
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.
14th.
My dear George
I write to say that the chief point in the drawings in which I thought that you were mistaken proves that I had not seen properly a very important point.2 Very slight alteration wd make the drawings perfect, & they must have been awfully difficult to do, especially the spiral pistil.
I have had a grand morning’s work, & now venture to say that I understand the mechanism completely & it is as wonderful a case as Catasetum.3 Much which I said in former note to you proves to be erroneous.4
I have prepared some other specimens, namely a flower split open & pinned to cork—& another flower for outlines as seen from vertically above, which has caught a bristle firmly; & I hope these will keep in spirits till you come home. With your aid I shall make a good paper.—
Ever yours | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Summary
Writes to say that the point on which he thought GHD’s drawings were mistaken proves to be an error in his own observation.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-11606
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- George Howard Darwin
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 210.1: 72
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11606,” accessed on 18 August 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11606.xml