Ɛpsilon

To W. T. Thiselton-Dyer   7 May [1881]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

May 7th

My dear Dyer

I have made observations how worms drag the petioles of a Clematis, which grows over my verandah (& is now in flower under its protection) & it seems so stupid that I cannot give the name of this Clematis. I shd. therefore be very much obliged if you or anyone at Kew can name it. According to my memory it is C. Montana, but I dare not trust my memory.— I enclose addressed P. O. Card & all that is wanted is name on back.—2

Yours ever sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 10 May [1881].
2
In Earthworms, pp. 76–9, CD discussed his observations on petioles of Clematis montana being drawn into the ground.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway … S.E.R.)] parentheses added
1.2 (&] opening parenthesis over comma
1.5 addressed] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13149,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13149