As he bends forward and thrusts his head into the flower 

 to suck the honey the vertical sht in the upper lip will be 

 widened out and the stamens will protrude and strike 

 the insect's head. When the humble-bee at last leaves 

 the flower to continue his journey its various parts will 

 resume their former relative positions. Should no insects 

 visit the flower self-pollination will occur. This appears to 

 be the usual course of events in the North where humble- 

 bees are scarce. In Spitzbergen, where there are no 

 humble-bees, a nearly-related species, Pedicularis lanata, is 

 said to be regularly self-fertilised without apparently sufler- 

 ing in any possible way. 



The Leafy Lousewort here illustrated is the commonest 

 variety in most districts. It is a tall, stately plant, often some 

 two feet high, which is found on grassy slopes and in 

 rocky places between 3500 and 7000 feet, and grows best on 

 a limestone soil. The large fine-divided leaves are even found 

 among the pale yellow flowers on the flower-stem. The 

 plant flowers in June and July, and is found in the Alps, 

 Pyrenees, Vosges, and Jura. It will be readily recognised by 

 its alternate leaves, and pale yellow hairy flowers, without any 

 beak-like projection at their summits. Pedicularis Oederi^ 

 which is a little like it, has no foliage leaves between the 

 flowers, which are devoid of hairs, and have a blackish red 

 spot on either side of the upper lip. 



71 



