From Alfred William Bennett   22 April 1869

Sir

By this post I venture to send you a copy of a paper written for the “Linnean Society”, which illustrates an interesting fact connected with appliances for cross-fertilization in the structure of Parnassia palustris.¹

I have been observing during the past winter the mode of fertilization in our common wild-flowers which habitually flower & bear seed in the winter season when we cannot suppose that any insect agency exists to produce cross-fertilization, such as Lanium album, Capsella Bursa-pastoris² &c; & find that the pollen is almost invariably discharged in the bud before the opening of the flower, thus insuring self-fertilization; can you direct me to any previous observations on this subject?

Apologizing for the trouble, permit me to describe myself | yours very respectfully | Alfred W Bennett

C. Darwin Esq.