270 SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ON THE 
/ 
On the Attraction of Flowers for Insects. By the Rt. Hon. 
Sir Jouw Luszock, Bart, F.R.S., M.P., F.LS., D.C.L., 
LL.D. 
[Read 4th November, 1897.] 
I conress I should have thought that the researches of Christian 
Sprengel, Darwin, H. Müller of Lippstadt, Delpino, and others, 
had made it clear that while honey is the real object which attraets 
insects to flowers, colour and scent guide them to the prize; and 
that thus, as I have elsewhere said, it is to Insects “ we owe the 
beauty of our gardens, the sweetness of our fields. To them, 
flowers are indebted for their scent and colour ; nay, for their very 
existence in its present form. Not only have the present sbape 
and outlines, the brilliant colours, the sweet scent, and the honey 
of (the) flowers been gradually developed through the unconscious 
selection exereised by insects; but the very arrangement of the 
colours, the circular bands and radiating lines, the form, size, 
and position of the petals, the relative situations of the stamens 
and pistil, are all arranged with reference to the visits of insects, 
and in such a manner as to ensure the grand object which these 
visits are destined to effect.” * 
Prof. Plateau, however, in three interesting memoirsțt, has 
recently called this view in question, and his eminence as àn 
observer of insect life justifies, and even demands, a reply. 
He summarizes his conclusions as follows :— . 
“(i.) Les Insectes visitent activement les inflorescences qu! 
n'ont subi aucune mutilation, mais dont la forme et les couleurs 
sont masquées par des feuilles vertes. 
“(ii.) Nila forme ni les couleurs vives des capitules ne semblent 
avoir d’action attractive. 
“ (iii) Les fleurons périphériques colorés des Dahlias simples 
et, par eonséquent, des capitules des autres Composées radices 
n'ont pas le róle vexillaire ou de signal qui leur a été attribué. 
“(iv.) La forme et la couleur ne paraissent pas avoir de rule 
attractif; les Insectes sont évidemment guidés vers les capitules 
de Composées par un autre sens que la vue, sens qui est probable 
ment l'odorat." t 
* ‘Flowers and Insects,’ p. 90. iles, 
t “Comment les Fleures attirent les Insectes": in Bull. Acad. ipeo 
Sér. ILL xxx. (1895) pp. 466-488; xxxii. (1896) pp. 505-584; X33 
pp. 17-41. 
1 L. c. xxx. p. 487. 
