''DEFENCE, NOT DEFIANCE.'' 127 



Bog-bean {Me?iyajitkes trifoliata) ; as well as the 

 whole genus of Gentians, Alpine and otherwise. 



Kerner has shown that the mechanism adopted 

 by some plants, such as Chlora perfoliata, the 

 Honeysuckle, Teazel, etc., of having the bases of 

 their opposite leaves connate^ or growing together and 

 embracing the stem, must prevent creeping insects 

 from getting to the nectar of the flowers. We may 

 frequently see numbers of small dead flies in the 

 pools of rain and dew collected in the connate leaves 

 of the Teazel. Those of the Butter-wort {Pinguicida 

 vulgaris) have a ridge raised all round the margin 

 which causes them to hold moisture, and the flower- 

 stalk is therefore as much isolated as if it actually 

 stood in water, according to the similar device 

 adopted in some countries of placing the table-legs 

 to prevent insects from crawling up the table. 



The Bulbs of herbaceous plants are frequently 

 sought after by mammals, for the sake of the store 

 of starch -food they contain. We can therefore 

 understand the advanced defensive position taken up 

 by such species as the Poison-bulb [Buphane toxicarid), 

 an amaryllidaceous plant, in which this part is so 

 poisonous as to be fatal to cattle. Many roots of 

 plants are frequently poisonous. 



The most abundant secretion of plants, especially 

 of the larger arboreal kinds, is the formation of 

 tannin, a substance peculiarly objectionable to animals 

 of all kinds. Although usually found chiefly in the 



