y is surprisingly interesting. Looking to your note, I
may add that certainly the fifteen alternating bundles of spiral vessels
(mingled with odd beadlike vessels in some cases) are present in many
orchids. The inner whorl of anther ducts are oftenest aborted. I must
keep clear of Apostasia, though I have cast many a longing look at it in
Bauer. (606/1. Apostasia has two fertile anthers like Cypripedium. It
is placed by Engler and Prantl in the Apostasieae or Apostasiinae, among
the Orchideae, by others in a distinct but closely allied group.)

I hope I may be well enough to read my own paper on Thursday, but I
have been very seedy lately. (606/2. "On the two Forms, or Dimorphic
Condition, in the Species of the Genus Primula," "Linn. Soc. Journ."
1862. He did read the paper, but it cost him the next day in bed. "Life
and Letters," III., page 299.) I see there is a paper at the Royal on
the same night, which will more concern you, on fossil plants of Bovey
(606/3. Oswald Heer, "The Fossil Flora of Bovey Tracey," "Phil. Trans.
R. Soc." 1862, page 1039.), so that I suppose I shall not have you; but
you must read my paper when published, as I shall very much like to hear
what you think. It seems to me a large field for experiment. I shall
make use of my Orchid little volume in illustrating modification of
species doctrine, but I keep very, very doubtful whether I am not doing
a foolish action in publishing. How I wish you would keep to your old
intention and write a book on plants. (606/4. Possibly a book similar to
that described in Letter 696.)

LETTER 607. TO G. BENTHAM. Down, November 26th [1861].

Our notes have crossed on the road. I know it is an honour to have a
paper in the "Transactions," and I am much obliged to you for proposing
it, but I should greatly prefer to publish in the "Journal." Nor does
this apply exclusively to myself, for in old days at the Geological
Society I always protested against an abstract appearing when the paper
itself might appear. I abominate also the waste of time (and it would
take me a day) in making an abstract. If the referee on my paper should
recommend it to appear in the "Transactions," will you be so kind as to
lay my earnest request before the Council that it may be permitted to
appear in the "Journal?"

You must be very busy with your change of residence; but when you are
settled and have some leisure, perhaps you will be so kind as to give me
some cases of dimorphism, li