My dear Sir

I thank you most sincerely for sending me the Epipactis:² you can hardly imagine what an interesting mornings work you have given me; as the rostellum exhibited a quite new modification of structure. It has been extremely kind of you to take so very much trouble for me.—

Have you looked at the pollen-masses of the Bee-Ophrys?³ I do not know whether the Epipactis grows near to your house; if it does & any object takes you to the place (pray do not for a moment think me so unreasonable as to ask you to go on purpose) would you be so kind to watch the flowers for quarter of an hour, & mark whether any insects (& what?) visit these flowers:

Trifling as this may appear I have reasons to believe important in fertilisation.—

I sh^d suppose they would crawl in by depressing the terminal portion of the labellum; & that when within the flower, this terminal portion would resume its former position; & lastly that the insect in crawling out, would not depress the labellum but would crawl out at back of flower. An insect crawling out of a recently opened flower would, I believe, have parts of the pollen-masses adhering to the back or shoulder.— I have seen this in Listera. How I sh^d. like to watch the Epipactis.

With cordial thanks | My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin

If you can at any time send me Spiranthes or Acera or O. ustulata you would complete your work of kindness.—

P.S. | If you sh^d visit the Epipactis again would you gather a few of the lower flowers, which have been opened for some time & have begun to wither a little, & observe whether pollen is well cleared out of anther-case.— I have been struck with surprise that in nearly all the lower flowers sent by you, though much of the pollen has been removed yet a good deal of pollen is left wasted within the anthers.— I observed something of this kind in Cephalanthera grandiflora.—⁴ But I fear that you will think me an intolerable bore