78 STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



But after the autumn has reduced the numbers of the 

 honey-sipping insects, it might be expected that the 

 flowers should again become sweet-scented as in spring. 

 I have observed this to be true of some few species, as 

 of the inconspicuous spiral flowers of the neottia. In 

 the autumn, when those insects abound that consume 

 the foliage of plants, as the grasshopper tribe, many 

 plants are defended from their attacks by a rank herba- 

 ,ceous smell, that emanates from their leaves, and a similar 

 flavor in their taste, while the gaudy flowers of the same 

 plants, like those of the gerardia and the thorn-apple 

 .(stramonium) invite the bee to their blossoms. I believe 

 it is an error to consider the honey of the flowers of 

 poisonous plants to be itself poisonous. Were it so, 

 the ends of nature would be defeated, as the insect 

 attracted by it would be killed while in the cup of the 

 flower, and by his own decay cause the destruction of 

 .the blossom. Plants which have a medicated leaf are 

 more common in the later summer, when grasshoppers 

 and locusts are numerous, by which they might be 

 .devoured. Nature has insured the preservation of the 

 grasses, which are devoured both by insects and quad 

 rupeds, by providing them with the means of multiply 

 ing by their roots, which are secured from attack by 

 .growing underground. 



But nature is not confined to one expedient for pro 

 moting the same end. She sometimes gives a sweet 

 smell to the whole plant, instead of confining it to the 

 .flower. She has done this for the mint tribe, the sweet 

 briar, and the myrtles. These odors may also serve the 

 purpose of defending them from the grazing and brows 

 ing animals and the herbivorous insects. It will be 

 found by examining the characters of plants, that 

 .nature does not entice an insect or any other creature to 



