To George King   24 October 1881

My dear Sir

Although the specimen of the Dischidia has not yet arrived, I will not delay any longer thanking you for your letter of September 13^th. & the drawing.¹ The case seems to be an extraordinary one, and it would appear as if the plants manufactured little buckets of manure-water for its own roots! Unless you could prevent the access of ants or other insects & filled the pitchers with pure water, it would be very difficult to make out the use of the parts. I have not histological knowledge enough to undertake the dissection of so precious a specimen; but I will write to Hooker to enquire whether he knows of any one capable of the work. It would be interesting to learn whether there are any nectar-seating glands in the upper part, & absorbent glands or structures (perhaps like those within the bladder of Uricularia)² in the lower part. I despatched about a week ago a copy of my book on earth-worms, on which subject you gave me such invaluable aid.—³ I hope that the book may interest you in some slight degree, though obviously of no great importance.—

With many thanks | Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

If I cannot find a capable man my son Francis or I myself will examine the microscopical structure of the pitchers⁴