INVERTEBRATA, CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 823 



This shows that the fertilization must take place in the same 

 night after the bursting of the anthers, and it was but natural to 

 suppose that it was clfccted by nocturnal moths. It would appear, 

 furthermore, that the nectar is not of any direct advantage to the 

 plant, as M. G. Bonnier emphatically affirms,* because of its being 

 jjroduced and lost in all flowers, fertilized or not, in the same way. 



As soon as the number of flowers increased (on some evenings 

 twenty to twenty-five had their anthers openedj, most of them were 

 found every morning with pollen on the stigmas ; and keeping a close 

 watch, it was discovered that the plant was visited by several largo 

 Sphingidse belonging to the genera Chcerocampa, Diludia, and 

 Amplionyx. All of them proceeded in the same manner. Holding 

 the body close over the style, they dipped their spiral tongues into 

 the tube of the corolla, beating all the while the anthers so violently 

 with the tijjs of their fore-wings that they dangled about with great 

 velocity in every direction. The grains of pollen being covered by a 

 sticky substance, many of them adhered to the- wings. An Amplionyx, 

 after having visited six flowers consecutively, had the tijis of the fore- 

 wings almost yellow with pollen. When leaving a flower for another 

 one, some of this pollen is even lost on the foliage, but by the time 

 the insect takes its central position before the flower the stigmas are 

 likewise touched by the wings, and thus some pollen is left on them. 

 Some flowers remain without being fertilized, especially in places 

 where the moths cannot reacli them easily. All flowers fertilized in 

 this manner set fruit very soon ; but no flower gave a fruit without 

 having its stigmas jiollinized by crossing. 



Self-fertilization is therefore excluded, and this is further proved 

 by the following exjieriments : — Twelve flowers were artificially 

 fertilized by their own pollen and afterwards protected by muslin 

 bags ; only in one case was a fruit obtained ; but it is doubtful 

 whether some foreign pollen did not reach the stigmas of tbis 

 flower. Cross-fertilization was likewise tried in twelve flowers, nine 

 being experimented on in the same evening after the opening of 

 the anthers, and three the next morning. All the former arc now 

 with fruit ; the latter remained sterile. This fact shows how very 

 short is the jieriod of possible fertilization. 



Flowers visit' d by nocturnal moths are as a rule cither large and 

 of white colour, -or have a strong smell ; but in this Cohcca the former 

 is certainly not the case, and no smell could bo discovered. But it is 

 well known that insects, especially Lepidoptera, have in this respect 

 a really .wonderful keenness, which enables them to track a scent 

 absolutely impercei)tible to man. 



Structure and Motile Properties of Protoplasm. t — According 

 to C. Frommann, tlie protoplasm of tlie vegetable cell, whirh often 

 apjjcars quite homogeneous, has a I'cticulate structure, as also have 

 the chlorophyll-grains. Tliis structure was seen cspocially clearly in 



* ' Ann. Sci. Nut. But.,' viii. (ISTD) p. 20G. 



t 'IJiob. lib. Stru'-tiir u. Buwc^^mi'^-urscheinunj^on (Kh rrotoplnMn dor 

 ril:iii/ciizcllc,' vou C. FicMuiiKimi, Jliiu, 1.S80. See 'Dot. Ctulrulbl.,' i. (ISSU) 



