128 _ ‘THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP, 
Bee on the back, and dusting it with pollen. 
When the flower is a little older the pistil 
(Fig. 9, p) has elongated so that the stigma 
(Fig. 10, st) touches the back of the Bee and 
carries off some of the pollen. This sounds a 
little complicated, but is clear enough if we 
take a twig or stalk of grass and push it 
down the tube, when one arm of each of the 
two larger stamens will at once make its 
appearance. It is one of the most beautiful 
pieces of plant mechanism which I know, 
and was first described by Sprengel, a poor 
German schoolmaster. 
SNAPDRAGON 
At first sight it may seem an objection to 
the view here advocated that the flowers in 
some species —as, for instance, the common 
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), which, according 
to the above given tests, ought to be fertilised 
by insects — are entirely closed. A little con- 
sideration, however, will suggest the reply. 
The Snapdragon is especially adapted for 
