How to Attract the Birds 



attract, with special pleasing features, the insect or 

 insects upon which it has become dependent for 

 help in getting its pollen transferred from flower to 

 flower. Self-pollination, we now clearly see, is one 

 of the horrors of the vegetable kingdom ; yet it 

 was not until Darwin proved in countless experi- 

 ments that cross-fertilization (pollen carried from 

 one flower and placed upon the stigma of another) 

 results in offspring which vanquish the offspring of 

 self- fertilization in the struggle for existence, that 

 the immense value of insect pollen carriers was 

 understood. No wonder the flowers take infinite 

 pains to entertain their insect benefactors and punish 

 relentlessly the useless intruders ! 



But certain flowers, it has been noticed, do not at- 

 tract insects ; even the great bumble-bees, moths and 

 butterflies, with very long tongues, cannot drain, by 

 fair means, the columbine, for example. It is true that 

 mischievous bees do occasionally bite holes through 

 the tip of the columbine's horns of plenty, but it is 

 evident that, since the flower receives no benefit from 

 this rascally procedure, they cannot be legitimate 

 guests. Large bumble-bees, however, doubtless pay 

 their way. Flowers and insects form a mutual ben- 

 efit co-operative association, in which there is not half 

 so much pilfering done as in our business world. There 

 must be quid pro quo or there is no trade in nature. 



Finally, it was learned that just as there are fly, 

 bee, beetle, wasp, butterfly and moth flowers, so 

 there are flowers which avowedly cater to the 

 humming-bird. He is an exacting little guest, de- 

 manding much of his entertainer who would in turn 

 be served by him. First of all, he likes to have a 



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