From G. C. Oxenden 1 August 1864
Broome
Augt. 1. 1864
Dear Sir
When I first found “Epipactis palustris”, in the Bogs wherein I shoot Snipes, there were but very few of them—
—These I carefully protected—& this year I have them in the greatest abundance— What effect the present dearth of Water & Grass may produce, I cannot yet tell— the Bucolic Mind is awfully avaricious—
—When they were in perfect splendour, I spent two days with them—& did not detect a single Moth-Visit to any one of the flowers—1 I was not able to give up the Nights also—
—I could easily give you two or three good Plants—but even then the result wd. be incomplete—inasmuch as, on the Bromley Hill-Side, the Especial Marsh Insect which waits upon this Epipactis wd. probably be wanting—
—In one very long day this Summer, I found about 400 plants of—Arachnites & Apifera—in flower— it was a fine sight—2
—Moreover, hardly a human Being all day— The Plants were in “Constellations”—seldom single—
—Belgium is especially rich in Orchids—having all those which we possess in England—& two or three which we do not possess— I am glad to say, Belgium holds “Orchis Hircina”—3
—In vast Areas of France, I find but little—
—I think I mentioned to you that “Epipactis grandiflora” is very abundantly haunted by Insects—4
With most kind regards | G. Chichester Oxenden
P.S.5 | In regard to our Dog-hole of an Earth, my own Conviction is that the great Law of Nature is “Graduality” & not “Suddenism”, & that the Cataclysms which have disturbed our Crust are but the Exceptions which prove the Rule itself—
Footnotes
Bibliography
Collected papers: The collected papers of Charles Darwin. Edited by Paul H. Barrett. 2 vols. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. 1977.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
‘Fertilization of orchids’: Notes on the fertilization of orchids. By Charles Darwin. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4th ser. 4 (1869): 141–59. [Collected papers 2: 138–56.]
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Summary
Spent two days watching Epipactis palustris in a bog. Never saw a moth.
Thinks "Suddenism" and not "Graduality" is the great Law of Nature.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4581
- From
- George Chichester Oxenden
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Broome Canterbury
- Source of text
- DAR 173: 62, 66
- Physical description
- ALS 5pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4581,” accessed on 21 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4581.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 12