I40 SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



actly the same kind of " eel-trap " arrangement as 

 the Arum employed for the same purpose. 



The numberless means which have been found 

 out by plants to evade or checkmate their enem.ies 

 is marvellous. Kerner's book is crowded with ex- 

 amples ; but perhaps those which strike one most, as 

 partaking of a certain degree of cunning, are such 

 devices as that adopted by the common Goat's-beard 

 {Tragopogoji prate?tsis), which closes its flowers so 

 regularly at noon-time that the ploughboy regulates 

 his mid -day meal -time by it. That flowers open 

 and close at different times of the day has been a 

 well-known botanical fact since Linnaeus amused 

 himself by constructing his "Floral Clock." Country 

 children are acquainted with the closing times of 

 certain flowers, which they poetically term " going to 

 sleep." Nearly ten years ago Sir John Lubbock 

 drew attention to this habit, and expressed his 

 opinion that it had some reference to the appearance 

 of the insects which most benefited the flowers, as 

 well as to their protection from others that were dis- 

 advantageous. Kerner's personal observations have 

 since verified the acumen of the latter part of Sir 

 John's observation in a very remarkable manner. 



It is well known that ants are as fond of nectar 

 as bees or butterflies, and they will get at it if 

 possible, just as cats will to cream. But few or 

 no creeping insects are advantageous to flowers, for 

 the pollen will not adhere to their smooth bodies, 



