/•■/.() 1 1 7: A". S 167 



so that the Howrr may be enabled to produce 

 fertile seed. The enlargement (jf the Unver i)etal 

 ^ives the fl(j\\er an irregular shape, and the same 

 thiiiLj ha[;pens in the monkshood and man)- other 

 flowers, where both the petals and sepals are 

 thrown out of shape to form nectaries. In the 

 orchid family this influence may be traced to a 

 wonderful det^ree. The contrivances for insurinj^ 

 the fertilisati(jn of tiieir flowers are so many and 

 various that books of the ^^reatest interest have 

 been written un that subject alone. 



In the flowers we have hitherto noticed, both 

 stamens and pistils are found, the petals are 

 coloured, honey-glands exist, and some specimens 

 also possess a powerful scent. 



Such flowers are obviousl)- ver)- attractixe to 

 insects, and tm that account the)' are called b)- 

 modern botanists, entomophihnis, which long word 

 means that they are belo\ed b)' insects. 



In sharp contrast to these gay and conspicuous 

 flowers we may observe the ver)' simple catkins of 

 the birch, Bctula alba. If we examine a twig of 

 this tree in spring, we shall find two very distinct 

 kinds of flowers (or catkins, as tree-blossoms ought 



