III., page 107.)

LETTER 700. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down [January 22nd, 1869].

Your letter is quite splenditious. I am greatly tempted, but shall,
I hope, refrain from using some of your remarks in my chapter on
Classification. It is very true what you say about unimportant
characters being so important systematically; yet it is hardly
paradoxical bearing in mind that the natural system is genetic, and that
we have to discover the genealogies anyhow. Hence such parts as organs
of generation are so useful for classification though not concerned with
the manner of life. Hence use for same purpose of rudimentary organs,
etc. You cannot think what a relief it is that you do not object to this
view, for it removes PARTLY a heavy burden from my shoulders. If I lived
twenty more years and was able to work, how I should have to modify the
"Origin," and how much the views on all points will have to be modified!
Well, it is a beginning, and that is something...

LETTER 701. TO T.H. FARRER (Lord Farrer). Down, August 10th, 1869.

Your view seems most ingenious and probable; but ascertain in a good
many cases that the nectar is actually within the staminal tube.
(701/1. It seems that Darwin did not know that the staminal tube in
the diadelphous Leguminosae serves as a nectar-holder, and this is
surprising, as Sprengel was aware of the fact.) One can see that if
there is to be a split in the tube, the law of symmetry would lead it
to be double, and so free one stamen. Your view, if confirmed, would be
extremely well worth publication before the Linnean Society. It is to me
delightful to see what appears a mere morphological character found
to be of use. It pleases me the more as Carl Nageli has lately been
pitching into me on this head. Hooker, with whom I discussed the
subject, maintained that uses would be found for lots more structures,
and cheered me by throwing my own orchids into my teeth. (701/2. See
Letters 697-700.)

All that you say about changed position of the peduncle in bud, in
flower, and in seed, is quite new to me, and reminds me of analogous
cases with tendrils. (701/3. See Vochting, "Bewegung der Bluthen und
Fruchte," 1882; also Kerner, "Pflanzenleben," Volume I., page 494,
Volume II., page 121.) This is well worth working out, and I dare say
the brush of the stigma.

With respect to the hairs or filaments (about which I once spoke) within
different parts of flowers, I have a splendid Tacsonia with perfectly