Ɛpsilon

To John Rogers   14 October [1861]1

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Oct 14th

Dear Sir

Mr Veitch has kindly sent me a Catasetum & I think I at last understand its mechanism.2 I shd. like to quote what you said;3 but I am anxious to hear (if you will kindly inform me) whether you often touched the “trigger”; & if so whether you did it with your finger & in this case, whether the sticky hair or gland always or generally hit your finger so as to stick to it. I shd. be very much obliged for this little bit of information.

Dear Sir | Yours faithfully | Charles Darwin

Did you ever notice any nectar in the pouch or basin in the labellum of Catasetum? Have you cultivated Stanhopea and you ever notice nectar in the cup of this genus? or in Oncidium?

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to J. D. Hooker, 11 October [1861] (Correspondence vol. 9).
2
CD refers to James Veitch. See Correspondence vol. 9, letter to J. D. Hooker, 11 October [1861].
3
CD cited Rogers (misspelt ‘Rodgers’) on Catasetum in Orchids, p. 236 n. *.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-3285F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-3285F