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The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Fertilized by Insects - Hardcover

Darwin, Charles

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9780226136615: The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Fertilized by Insects

Synopsis

1885. With illustrations. A volume by Darwin the British naturalist who became famous for his theories of evolution and natural selection. In 1861, Darwin took a break from writing his book on animal domestication and went on holiday with his daughter, Henrietta, to Torquay on the Devon coast. While there he spent many an hour examining the way insects pollinate orchids in the fields around the town. He noticed that only certain insects pollinate one particular orchid variety. When he returned to Down House he immediately switched from breeding pigeons to raising orchids. During the Victorian era, orchids were all the rage, and as soon as word got out that Darwin was raising them he found himself being flooded with specimens from all over the country. What he set out to do was study how orchids used intricate petal designs to attract bees and moths to their pollen. How did such a relationship evolve? The subject fascinated him and the results are to be found in this work.

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About the Author

Charles Darwin was an English naturalist and author best-known for his revolutionary theories on the origin of species, human evolution, and natural selection. A life-long interest in the natural world led Darwin to neglect his medical studies and instead embark on a five-year scientific voyage on the HMS Beagle, where he established his reputation as a geologist and gathered much of the evidence that fuelled his later theories.A prolific writer, Darwin s most famous published works include The Voyage of the Beagle, On the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals. Darwin died in 1882, and in recognition of his contributions to science, is buried in Westminster Abbey along with John Herschel and Isaac Newton.

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