RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1876. Cherry blossoms. Nature. A Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science 14 (11 May): 28.
REVISION HISTORY: Scanned, text prepared and edited by John van Wyhe 2003-8. RN2
NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here.
[page] 28
Cherry Blossoms
IN the last number of NATURE (vol. xiv , p 10), Mr Pryor1 states that the flowers of the wild cherry are bitten off in large numbers in much the same manner as I formerly described in the case of the primrose. Some days ago I observed many cherry blossoms in this state, and to day I saw some actually falling I approached stealthily so as to discover what bird was at work, and behold it was a squirrel. There could be no doubt about it for the squirrel was low in the tree and actually had a blossom between its teeth. It is none the less true that birds likewise bite the flowers of the cherry tree.
CHARLES DARWIN
Down, Beckenham, May 6
1 Alfred Reginald Pryor (1839-1881), botanist. Pryor 1876.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 28 November, 2022