Buttercups and Columbines 77 
the mistake that many writers upon this subject have 
made, that plants specially adapting themselves to 
cross- fertilisation by insects are more greatly 
advantaged than the self-fertilised species. Looked 
at from the human standpoint, such specialisation has 
produced finer flowers, for it is worthy of note that 
no member of the Ranunculus family develops blue 
colouring unless it is specially adapted for cross- 
fertilisation by bees. 
