IVam's-Heads in Witch HoUoT^ 107 



spedabilis displaj^s a marvellous intelligence in its mech- 

 anism for inviting fertilization and cross-fertilization. 

 The enclosure of the glands within the hooded pouch 

 protects the poUinia from rains or improper insects. 



The moth finds a resting-place on the petaled plat- 

 form, while he pushes his tongue and head into the 

 depths of the dainty spur attached to the flower an- 

 teriorly. In doing this he forces his forehead against 

 the viscid lobes of the stigma, situated in the back, op- 

 posite to the entrance of the spur. In pushing, as he 

 must, to reach the nectar in the twisting spur, he rup- 

 tures the interior membrane of the rostellum above the 

 orifice containing the poUinia. Each mass of this 

 fertilizing substance in this vSpecies contains viscid 

 disks or handles, fastened with elastic hair-like caudi- 

 cles attached to the pollinia. When the insect ruptures 

 the cellular tissues of the anther, these disks shoot out 

 of their sockets, and fasten firmly to his head. As he 

 flies away, he possesses one or two pollinia, unique in 

 their completeness. In visiting the next spike of the 

 Showy Orchis, he repeats the insertion of his tongue 

 aud forehead in the spur of the nectary. The golden 

 horn of pollinum thus rubs against the viscid surface 

 of the stigma, and fertilization and cross- fertilization are 

 brought about. The insect thus accomplishes all that 

 Nature has designed for the future of the species, even 

 if only a small portion of the pollinum is absorbed by 

 the attractive surface of the stigma. One mass fast- 

 ened to the head of a moth would, in this manner, 

 fertilize several flowers. 



