CHAPTER XI 
SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS IX AND X 
HE point that I wish to bring out from these 
comparative observations is one that holds 
good for many, but not by any means for all other 
genera and their near relatives, and it is this: that 
although we find very great uniformity in the life- 
history in general of the Herb Robert and its relatives, 
there are equally striking differences. I will mention 
five of the most interesting: (1) The instability of the 
floral arrangements of the Storksbill compared with 
those of the Meadow Cranesbill: (2) the five anther- 
less stamens of the Erodiums and the Small Dovesfoot, 
and the preponderating self-pollination of the latter 
and of the shade flowers of the Storksbill; (3) the 
sculptured seeds of the Cut-leaved Cranesbill, for 
example, compared with the insect-like knobs of the 
Herb Robert among others, especially in view of the 
difference in the first-instance dispersal; (4) that 
the typical Herb Robert as opposed to its shingle 
variety is the only one of all our wild Geraniums that 
produces “ seeds ” with long threads; and (5) that 
none of them except the Dusky Cranesbill has learnt 
the Storksbill’s art of sowing and anchoring its 
seeds. But these remarks and observations apply 
only to our own wildlings, and there are something 
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