To T. H. Farrer   5 June 1868

My dear Mr Farrer

I must write a line to cry peccavi. I have seen the action in Ophrys exactly as you describe & am thoroughly ashamed of my inaccuracy. I find that the pollinia do not move if kept in a very damp atmosphere under a glass; so that it is just possible, tho’ very improbable, that I may have observed them during a very damp day.¹

I am not much surprized that I overlooked the movement in habenaria as it takes so long.²

I am glad you have seen Listera; it requires to be seen to believe in the co-ordination in the position of the parts, the irritability, & the chemical nature of the viscid fluid.³

This reminds me that I carefully described to Huxley the shooting out of the Pollinia in Catasetum, & received for an answer “Do you really think that I can believe all that.”⁴

My dear Mr Farrer | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S. | I c^d. find no fly in the nectary of the orchis just received; but there was a minute insect in one flower stuck fast to the viscid stigma.—⁵

C. D.