To W. M. Canby 7 May 1873
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
May 7 1873
Dear Sir
I thank you very sincerely for the leaves, of which I have examined 14 with great interest.1 The results support my anticipation that the leaves are adapted to allow of the smaller fry escaping. Eight of the 14 leaves had caught beetles of relative considerable size. There were also a good-sized spider & a scolopendra—
Three of the leaves had caught ants. I wish the leaves had been of full size, but I think my results may be trusted.2
With cordial thanks for your kindness | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Insectivorous plants. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875.
Summary
Thanks for the Dionaea leaves. They support CD’s anticipation that they are adapted to let the smaller fry escape [see Insectivorous plants, p. 312].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8904
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- William Marriott Canby
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Natural History Society of Delaware
- Physical description
- LS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8904,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8904.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21