18 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



often widely separated from each other, but the 

 unerring instinct of their insect affinity is a sure 

 guide to bring about cross-fertilisation. These 

 flowers are pleasantly fragrant, and thus attract 

 many small beetles and flies, which become en- 

 tangled in the maze of the stem and the petals of 

 the flowery plume. On one specimen were dis- 

 covered a brown creature resembling a small scor- 

 pion, several ants, one very small beetle and six 

 "snapping bugs." Since these latter were the most 

 numerous and the best on the wing, I presume that 

 these are the ones that do the most of the work in 

 carrying the pollen. 



I kept a few of these insects fasting over night, 

 and when they were given fresh flowers in the 

 morning they immediately fell ravenously upon 

 the pollen and devoured some, while dusting their 

 heads and antennae with a goodly supply. 



I am unable to discover, or even to conjecture, 

 the reason for giving to this dainty flower such a 

 title as it bears. To the botanist it is always an 

 interesting "find." 



JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT A riscema triphyllum 

 April-July 



This is a native of America resembling in appear- 

 ance the plant known in England under the name 



