Dear M^r. Darwin

I am sending you by tomorrow’s post some more leaves of Pinguicula w^h. have seeds on them for the most part. I also enclose a list from w^h. you will see that 79 per cent of the leaves I have examined had insects on them.² I have counted the remains of insects w^h. had apparently been some time on the leaf & many small things w^h. I c^d. not have recognised as insects without the aid of a magnifying glass.

I have also counted in several small spiders. The insects were for the most part small gnats & aphides, but there seemed to be a great variety, I have found a few beetles, but no moths. The observations have been made during an exceptionally rainy week, with an average daily rainfall of $\frac{3}{4}$ of an inch!! Pinguicula Vulgaris grows in wet places on mountain slopes, & has as far as I have observed a partiality for running water. The following are some of the more conspicuous plants t^t. grow with it—

Parnassia Palustris

Drosera Rotundifolia

Saxifraga aizoides

Anagallis tenella

Erica tetralix³

With regard to the secretion from insects, I can not trace it; I observe fluid on the leaves, generally in the chanel formed by the edge; but whether this is a secretion of the plant, or from the insect, or merely rain water lodged, I can not tell; but it is certainly sticky, & therefore if rain water must have disolved some of the viscid matter of the points on the leaves.⁴

I have observed t^t. the leaves are not unfrequently eaten as if by slugs.

Also I have no doubt you have noticed t^t. there is a tendency in the leaves to curl tightly over entrapped insects that get near the edge, & the same applies to seeds.⁵ I have noticed brown patches & in one or two cases holes under insect remains, I supose this is the result of over manuring, I have noticed the same effect on grass; I mean the excrement of animals kills grass where it lies but forms luxuriant growth of grass round.

I have, I fear, put my remarks in a rambling & inconvenient form. If there is anything I have not answered distinctly, please get Horace to write me a note about it⁶

Believe me | y^rs. very truly | William C. Marshall