RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Francis Darwin. 1874.06.23-27. Pinguicula - Amy - 2nd lot. CUL-DAR59.1.59-63. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10.2022. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR 54-61 contain material for Darwin's book Insectivorous plants (1875).

The Amy referred to is "Ruck, Amy Richenda, 1850 Feb. 9-1876 Sept. 11. Daughter of Lawrence R. CD's daughter-in-law. Portrait in B. Darwin, Green memories, 1928, p. 14 and Evans ed., Darwin and women, 2017, p. 39. 1874 Jul. 23 Married Sir Francis Darwin as first wife. 1876 Sept. 11 A died in childbed. CD wrote "Poor Amy died; a most dreadful blow to us all", van Wyhe ed., 'Journal', (DAR158). R was staying at Holy Trinity, Corris, Gwynedd, Wales. 1876 Sept. 15 CD to G.W. Norman, "she was sweet and gentle". Francis Darwin had gone to North Wales for the funeral. CCD24:275." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021.)


IV

Pinguicula Amy. 2nd lot

June 25/ 74

(I) — 5 dipts = 5

(II) 6 dipts: young homopt: = 7

(III) 1 seed? (preserved in pill Box: a scale off a bud

IV ant: dipt: new kind of leaf preserve in Pill Box remnant: 5 dipts 2 remnants hymenopt = 9.

These 3 leaves must be added to former lot — I exclude 1 because no insects & I must say selected for having insect on them.

II

June 23- 74

Pinguicula— Amy

§ of insect

* glandular

(14)— 5 Insect Remnants: bit of stalk: (5)

(15) FD bit of moss: bit of carex containing seed bathed in secretion — almost ripe: remnant: (0 1)

(16) 2 dipts— 2 remnants: a bit 1/2 decayed twig (4)

(17) 3 dipts: larva: acarus: (5)

(18) Remnant: stalk. (1)

(19) 6 5 Dipts: 2 small insects: 2 remnants (10)

(20) Coleopt— (Aphodius): larva: dipt: (3)

(21) Larva: remnant: (2)

(22) *Leaf: dipt: minute black seed (2)

(22) Fair sized coleopt. {Aphodius?}: Larva: (2) 2 somewhat flattened seeds: a mass of similar seeds in a brown pulp of remains. 4 or 5 small acari

(23) Two dipt: young homopt: (3)

(24) One leaf * 3 glandular leaves one sticking to outside of channel: 2 dipt: (2) & 9

2 husklike transparent things in footstalks: = sphagnum 2 glandular leaves: 2 glandr leaves stuck to rag— (2 leaves) (0)

(25) 3 4 glandular leaves and a head or bunch of dittos which is bathed in secrn: 2 glandular leaves sticking to outside of channel— (0) A husk of the fruit of a minute, on rag Sphagnum on rag

26. 2 dipts: bit of stalk (2)

27 Leaf*: — dipt: (1)

The 2 leaves * were almost certainly the "glandular" one grown old

I

June 23 74 Pinguicula from Amy

(1) Whole little leaf— & one Dipterous pretty large. Whole channel on one side filled with liquid— Slightly acid under the leaf— The fluid in the whole secretion channel is viscid secretion. Secrn decidedly acid under the fly— (1)

(2) A small Coleopt: a Tipula: Edges extremely involuted. A small insect (disintegrated): a Dipt: remnant of another insect: a Dipt: (6)

(3) A Dipt: a dipt: remnant of four dipts: remnant of dipt: a dipt: a germinating seedling: (8)

(4) A dipt: a leaf: small hymenopt: remnant of 2 dipts: larva: young homopt: larva: remnant of 2 insects: leaf & dipt : quite distinct kind: dipt: (10)

(5)— Dipt: small coleopt: larva: coleopt: (4)

(6)— 3 dipts: dipt: 2 leaves: remnant of small insect: remnant ditto: 3 ditto: acarus: (10)

(7) Marked. Remnant of dipt: 4 leaves: dipt: remnant insect: grass leaf:

(minute fragment not noted) (3)

(8) Marked Fly: leaf: on most leaves numerous fragments of dirt— (1)

(9) Marked Ant: a small land shell: a leaf: seed of rumex in its globular receptacle (?): 2 dipts: dipt: remnant of 2 dipts—: dipt: remnant of ditto: (8) (7)

(10) Marked 2 leaves: dipt: leaf: dipt: Whole leaf concave lots of secretion slightly acid. (2)

(11) Marked. Acarus: bit of moss, observed in other leaves but not counted: leaf: leaf: remnant insect: (2)

(12) Marked Remnant insect: acarus: 3 dipts: remnant insect: (6)

(13) Marked 4 Remnants insects: hymenopt: leaf: dipt: hymenopt: remnant ins: 2 hymenopts: (10)

(over)

[Iv]

Some of the little leaves green, some browned, & some quite Brown with edges involuted backwards & with few long glands —

Leaves of 4 kinds, mostly of one sort — & a maple-shaped leaf, & some bits of grass or carex & little germinating seedlings

(Amy says that the bit of leaf excited Secretion on leaf in state of Nature)

The little green glandular leaves are either green or quite brown & as one was had brown particles, I believe change due to secretion —

many bits of Sphagnum moss

III

Drosera Pinguicula abstract

Insects § Remnants of Insects. Larvae Acari

[data not transcribed] sum of Arabic numerals = total number of "§ insects" = 74 Number of leaves = 27

[calculations] Average 2.74 only 2 leaves had none at all

I. cases

[counts] = 34 leaves on the 27 Pinguicula leaves two of these where on were found on the rag & two sticking to the outside of the channel. The bunch of leaves is counted as a leaf —

Stalks & Twigs. = 4

Seeds

Carex; Rumex; Germinating seedling = 3

&cs

Several bits of moss and a small land shell—

V

Pinguicula— Amy—June 27th

(I) v small acarus: bit of stalk: small flower bud? : (1)

(II) 2 dipts 2 remnants. spider: bit of leaf: 5

(III) bit of leaf: (organic remnant bit of leaf?) : 0

(IV) 10 erica leaves: one is in channel edge of channel acarus: larva: remnant (ie of insect) (3)

[in margin:] Add to general average

(V) 8 erica leaves + seed:

(VI) 5 erica leaves: 2 on outside of channel: these are not counted in the 5

(VII) 6 erica leaves: remnant:

2 other leaves one dead the other too young

(VIII) erica leaf: vague quantity of insect remnants

(IX) 9 erica leaves: 8 on rag have been evidently rubbed off: very small seed capsule containing young soft seeds—

(X) carex seed X

Amy counted the leaves on 9 plants making average 8 leaves 74 leaves out of these 71 in another lot had insects on them: the 3 exceptions? were insects young leaves

She counted 31 insects on one leaf

— 18 — another

—16 ─

Disc of the leaves plant in one specimen 4 in in diameter.

show on seed


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 2 November, 2022