118 OCCASIONAL PAPEKS. 



There is a curious modification in these stamens ; 

 the summits are expanded into flat membranes, -which 

 bend towards the centre, making a small cavity into 

 which the pollen falls when ripe. Two of these 

 stamens send out long processes behind known as 

 " anther spurs," which are enclosed in the spur 

 formed by the lower petal of the corolla. These 

 anther spurs possess glands which secrete honey, 

 and it is not at all uncommon to find the corolla spur 

 perforated in one or two places where insects have 

 been endeavouring to regale themselves. What 

 these insects may be I do not know, but I believe 

 moths and bees in their visits to the flower obtain 

 the nectar in the usual way, namely, by passing the 

 sucking tube down the throat of the flower from the 

 front. The petals of the flower are unequal in size, 

 the lower one being lengthened into the spur just 

 mentioned. The general colour is a variable purple, 

 sometimes lilac, or white, and in one or two species 

 yellow. In the throat of the flower are two tufts of 

 hair, one on each lateral petal ; they possibly protect 

 the entrance from rain which might enter and wash 

 out the nectar, though this in the great majority of 

 cases would be prevented by the drooping posture of 

 the blossom ; probably also they guide bees or other 

 insects in then' search after honey ; they certainly 

 add greatly to the beauty of the corolla. 



It is not generally known (except to the botanist) 

 that the Violet, like some other plants, has two dis- 

 tinct and quite different sets of flowers ; the second 

 set, small and inconspicuous, appearing about six 

 weeks or later after the first. They are known as 

 " cleistogamic " flowers ; they are uncoloured, and 



