Dear friend

Owing to imperfect direction, thy letter did not reach me without some delay.¹ My younger son was the discoverer of Leersia in this locality,² where it is in considerable abundance, and in favourable seasons grows very fine, though hundreds of good botanists must have passed it by, among other wet growing grasses. It grows close to the bridge over our little river Mole, in its shallow muddy sinuses, covered with water nearly all the winter-time, and forming a mud-bank, or small island in the Summer.³ I have just been to the locality, and find, as I expected, that it has not yet made its appearance, being a very late grass both in vegetating, and in flowering. Shall I write again as soon as the grass is fairly up, or shall I send off a lump of it, packed perhaps in a flower pot, otherwise it (the mud in which it grows) would all run about;—either of which I will do with great pleasure—⁴ If once it can be got to bear the removal I am sure the plant will grow any where in water, as it is quite out of the very little stream this slow river usually has, in the quiet alluvial muddy shoals— Our little river rises in the day, but just bounding the sandy belt, its deposit is mixt and not very tenacious just here—

Though not a convert to “the theory”,⁵ I cannot but entertain for it that respect which is due, I believe to the Naturalist of the largest observation of any one whatever. The Orchid book ⁶ I have read with great interest and pleasure.— I am sorry to hear of impaired health, because I know the intense pleasure of ones-self visiting any object or locality—

May I mention another point of Natural History— I have a brood of Young Emeus just out. It is the third season of more or less success, but the present brood of 8 living ones I believe to be unique in England, if not in Europe— One more is being hatched this very day semi-artificially, by the parlour fire, (and is at this moment chirping vociferously,) the Bird having now left its nest entirely by day, after the long period of ten weeks sitting.⁷ Would an embryo Chick, of which I have reason to believe there may be one or two in the eggs that have not hatched, be an acceptable specimen,—if such should prove the case;—on account of the anomalous character and habits of this singular Australian bird? The male bird sits and brings up the young entirely; and several of the usual external distinguishing characters of the sexes, are reversed.⁸

I am sincerely | W^m. Bennett

Chas Darwin | Bromley.