Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.
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The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Asks for a specimen of Pinguicula.
Has some Utricularia minor for CD. Has found the bladders on U. vulgaris are not floats.
Thanks CD for book [Descent, 2d ed.].
Suggests experiments to try [with Nepenthes]. Asks JDH to test whether cabbage seeds and peas exposed to the ferment germinate.
Asks WED to visit Winchester soon and collect Utricularia for him
Has "given the slip" to Nepenthes, but is setting a plant up in an enclosure for special observation.
Has some splendid Sarracenia and will perform any miracle regarding them CD puts him up to.
Charmed with CD’s account of Pinguicula. Would like to try whether Lychnis has the same use of viscid fluid.
Has written for English Utricularia for CD.
Describes leaf movements of Pinguicula and Drosera in capturing prey. Notes effects of ammonium carbonate on leaves.
Cobra poison is a stimulant to protoplasm. Poison acts very differently on cilia and protoplasm of Drosera.
Thinks Frank and he have worked out Pinguicula well and they long to attack Utricularia. Tried several plants with sticky glandular hairs; some few absorb ammonia, but the greater number do not. If JDH sends plant or seed of Lychnis CD will examine it to see whether it catches many flies. Asa Gray has written him much about Sarracenia, with a specimen showing the splendid dodge by which ground insects are enticed up and then drowned. Describes how it may be investigated, to see whether it absorbs decayed matter from flies, or ammonia thus generated.
Sends results of his observations on Nepenthes. Would be grateful for any hints for further observations.
Has read THF’s article on Coronilla [see 9400] – "a very curious case"; is troubled by C. emerus.
It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.
Suggests experiment involving cobra poison on white corpuscles. Thanks for offer of Crotalus poison.
Will do experiments CD suggests.
Is sending his book on the poisonous snakes of India [The Thanatophidia of India (1872)].
Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.
Asks about the effect of atropine on the eye. Is interested in parallel case: influence of phosphate of ammonia on glands of Drosera.
Thanks for proofs [of Descent, 2d English ed.].
Publisher would like better photographs for Expression [2d German ed.].
The appetite of Nepenthes for hard-boiled egg is prodigious.
Sends quotation from R. C. Virchow which contravenes CD’s statement in Expression that there is no voluntary control of the iris.
Advises JVC on how his publisher might deal with problem of getting satisfactory heliotype copies for 2d [German] edition of Expression.
Regrets that he will again be away in August, when JVC might have come for a visit.
Sends specimens of Pinguicula and observations made on them. [See Insectivorous plants, pp. 390–1.]