MARRIAGE CUSTOMS OF PLANTS 
unwelcome visits for the purpose of eating pol- 
len. Why can’t I make use of these thieves 
and turn their marauding habits to my own 
advantage?” 
No sooner said than done, though it doubt- 
less took many centuries to get the plan in 
thorough working order. It was a new de- 
parture in the plant world and led to various 
revolutionary changes. In all probability, there 
were no bright-hued flowers before the advent 
of pollen-eating insects. In the beginning, at 
least, flowers were developed as the signs by 
which plants advertised their wares. “We will 
make ourselves luringly attractive,’ reasoned 
the plants. “We will add to our bright-col- 
oured petals the sweet delights of nectar and 
honey. While the insect is eating at our table, 
we will shower his back with pollen and, going 
forth to some floral neighbour, he will unwit- 
tingly become the marriage priest of our race.” 
This was the idea, and in many diverse and 
wonderful ways the plants have carried it out. 
The first flowers were developed by training 
certain stamens to flatten and expand them- 
selves, daub their surfaces with colour, and so 
[85] 
