From St G. J. Mivart 11 June 1870
7 North Bank | N.W.
June 11th. 1870
My dear Sir.
I should be very much obliged if you would kindly tell me by what action you think the curious resemblance of the Bee, Spider & Fly Ophrys to the several insects has been produced—1 It is I think far too marked & striking to be accidental!
I have also great difficulty in seeing by what possible action of natural or sexual selection the beauty of bivalves can have been produced and I should be grateful for any hint from you on the subject which (unless you tell me I may quote) I shall consider confidential2
I feel sure you will kindly excuse my thus troubling you & remain
My dear Sir | Always Your’s very truly | St G Mivart
C. Darwin Esqr.
Footnotes
Bibliography
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
Asks by what action CD believes bee, spider, and fly orchids came to resemble their namesakes
and how the beauty of bivalves could have been produced by natural or sexual selection.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7227
- From
- St George Jackson Mivart
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, North Bank, 7
- Source of text
- DAR 171: 188
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7227,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7227.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 18