198 PHYSIOLOGY OF 



Sprens^el has ingeniously demonstrated, in some 

 hundreds of instances, how the Corolla serves as an 

 attraction to insects, indicating by various marks, 

 sometimes perhaps by its scent, where they may find 

 lioney, and accommodating them vvith a convenient 

 resting-place or shelter while they extract it. This ele- 

 fiant and inirenious theory receives confirmation from 

 almost every flower we examine. Proud man is dis- 

 posed to think that 



'*' Full many a flower Is born to blush unsesii,"' 



because he has not deigned to explore it ; but we find 

 that even the beauties of the most sequestered wilder- 

 ness are not made in vain. They have myriads of ad- 

 mirers, attracted by their charms, and rewarded with 

 their treasures, which very treasures would be as use- 

 less as the gold of a miser to the plant itself, were they 

 not thus the means of bringing insects about it. The 

 services rendered by such visitants will be understood 

 when we have described all the parts of a flower. 



Besides the alx)ve purposes, I have always conceived 

 the Corolla to fulfil some important office to the essen- 

 tial parts of the flower with respect to air, and espe- 

 cially light. It not only presents itself in a remarkable 

 manner to the sun-beams, frequently closing or droop- 

 ing when they are withdrawn, but it is so peculiarly 

 distinguished by beauty or brilliancy of colour, that 

 one cannot but think its functions somewhat diflTerent 

 from those of the leaves, even with regard to light 



