ble to resist
the impression (shared by Asa Gray, whose Review (356/5. Asa Gray's
"Scientific Papers," Volume I., page 122.) on you pleased me much) that
during the Glacial period there must have been almost entire extinction
in Greenland; for depth of sea does not favour former southerly
extension of land there. (356/6. In the driving southward of the
vegetation by the Glacial epoch the Greenland flora would be "driven
into the sea, that is, exterminated." (Hooker quoted by Gray, loc. cit.
page 124.) I must suspect that plants have been largely introduced by
sea currents, which bring so much wood from N. Europe. But here we shall
split as wide as the poles asunder. All the world could not persuade me,
if it tried, that yours is not a grand essay. I do not quite understand
whether it is this essay that Dawson has been "down on." What a curious
notion about Glacial climate, and Basques and Finns! Are the Basques
mountaineers--I hope so. I am sorry I have not seen the "Athenaeum," but
I now take in the "Parthenon." By the way, I have just read with much
interest Max Muller (356/7. Probably his "Lectures on the Science of
Language," 1861-64.); the last part, about first origin of language,
seems the least satisfactory part.

Pray thank Oliver heartily for his heap of references on poisons.
(356/8. Doubtless in connection with Darwin's work on Drosera: he was
working at this subject during his stay at Bournemouth in the autumn of
1862.) How the devil does he find them out?

I must not indulge [myself] with Cypripedium. Asa Gray has made out
pretty clearly that, at least in some cases, the act of fertilisation is
effected by small insects being forced to crawl in and out of the flower
in a particular direction; and perhaps I am quite wrong that it is ever
effected by the proboscis.

I retract so far that if you have the rare C. hirsutissimum, I should
very much like to examine a cut single flower; for I saw one at a flower
show, and as far as I could see, it seemed widely different from other
forms.

P.S.--Answer this, if by chance you can. I remember distinctly having
read in some book of travels, I am nearly sure in Australia, an account
of the natives, during famines, trying and cooking in all sorts of ways
various vegetable productions, and sometimes being injured by them. Can
you remember any such account? I want to find it. I thought it was in
Sir G. Grey, but it is not. Could it have been in Eyre's book?

LETT