Ɛpsilon

To Thomas Belt   31 July 1874

Bassett | Southampton

July 31, 1874.

My dear Sir

Your letter has been forwarded to me here, and has interested me much.1 Several years ago I published a statement to exactly the same effect and I shall be very glad hereafter to give your evidence in confirmation.2 The rapidity with which the hive bee discovered the holes has surprised me whenever I I have thought of the subject.

I have had no communication with you since reading your book. My criticism on it is a short one: viz. that of all the natural hist. travels published during this century yours is the best.3

My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin.

2
CD had discussed the boring of holes in the base of the corolla in beans and other flowers in a letter to Gardeners’ Chronicle, [16 August 1841] (Correspondence vol. 2). He added Belt’s information to Cross and self fertilisation, p. 151 n.
3
CD had recommended Belt’s book, The naturalist in Nicaragua (Belt 1874) to friends, and sent a copy to Fritz Müller in Brazil (see letter to Fritz Müller, 1 January 1874).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9578,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9578