Asks whether CD has observed that bees limit their visits to a single kind of flower on each journey from the hive, as Aristotle has said they do. What advantage would such a limitation be to the insects?
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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 whether CD has observed that bees limit their visits to a single kind of flower on each journey from the hive, as Aristotle has said they do. What advantage would such a limitation be to the insects?
From Galton’s "twin study" he suspects that some progenitor of WO’s had the peculiarities in question.
Has collected cases of signs of assent for a revised edition of Expression.
Suggests bees visit same species because they know how far to insert proboscis and thus save time.
Would like to cite WO’s case of bees perforating white but not blue monkshood (Aconitum napellus) in his next book [Cross and self-fertilisation, pp. 427–8]. Believes it is probably sterile if insects are excluded.
Recounts his observations on the different ways bees perforate flowers of white and blue varieties of monkshood. [See Cross and self-fertilisation, p 428.]
Thanks for Forms of flowers.
Suggests plant hairs protect them from insects either mechanically or by stinging.
Is glad WO is undertaking the editing of Anton Kerner’s book [Schutzmittel der Blüthen gegen unberufene Gäste (1876)], which appears to open out "highly original & curious fields of research". [Used as prefatory letter to Kerner, Flowers and their unbidden guests, The translation revised and edited by W. Ogle (1878).]
Thanks for his translation of [Anton] Kerner [Flowers and their unbidden guests: the translation revised and edited by W. Ogle (1878)].
Thanks WO for advice and assistance for his son, Horace.
Has read Kerner’s book [see 11666]; finds the translation "as clear as daylight" but fears it is too good for the English public who like "very washy food".