Lilies and Onions 333 
In one variety of this species only a few of the 
flower-buds open, the majority of them developing 
into bulbils. Various insects assist in the work of 
fertilsing both species. 
The pretty little Grape Hyacinth (Muscari 
racemosunr), found wild only in the eastern counties, 
but frequently naturalised near gardens, has its 
segments united throughout their length into a 
globose cylinder with six little lobes round its mouth. | 
The stamens are attached to the walls of the perianth 
about half-way up. Bees visiting the flower bring 
their heads in contact with the simple stigma and 
then push their tongues against the anthers, shaking 
down the pollen. Bees are attracted by the plum- 
like odour, which has also been regarded as musk- 
like—hence the name Muscari. 
The Vernal Squill, or Sea Onion (Scilla verna), 
which gems the short turf of headlands on the West 
coasts with its bright-blue starry flowers, has a 
similar bulb to that of the well-known garden 
Hyacinth, and long narrow concave leaves. The 
fragrant flowers are clustered on one or two short 
scapes, and have their segments separated to the 
base. A similar flower, but of reddish-purple hue, 
is produced by the Autumnal Squill (S. autwmnalis), 
on long scapes. A noteworthy difference is evident 
between these species. S. verna produces its leaves 
before the flowers in spring, and S. autwmnalis 
flowering in summer does not produce its thin half- 
round leaves until autumn. This is no doubt due to 
the different flowering period. S. verna, drawing 
upon its savings of last year, sends up its leaves early, 
and as soon as these are out the flower-scape follows; 
