52 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



Now, with such an arrangement, the question is: 

 how does the flower induce its guest to rub against 

 these stigmas before he approaches the pollen? 

 There are five entrances and five exits. Five of the 

 dull red-and-green petals form landing-stages for 

 insect visitors, and each leads to a low entrance 

 under a hook of the stigma. This hook permits 

 free entrance but doubtless deters the insect from 

 leaving by the way he entered. The other five 

 petals curve inward, over the umbrella, between 

 the ribs, thus closing the exits to an arrival, but 

 freely permitting a departure. 



The doings of our visitor are now easy to ex- 

 plain. He arrives by the proper entrance, crawls 

 under the stigma, and enters the cool, circular 

 chamber, where he takes what nectar and pollen he 

 desires. Then, seeking to leave the reception room, 

 he finds that his easiest way out is to push one of 

 the curved petals, a veritable swinging-door which 

 opens outward. 



The visitors best fitted to act as pollen porters 

 for the pitcher-plant are the carrion-flies; and it 

 is for them that the flowers assume their red colour- 

 ing and veining, suggestive of raw meat. The 

 flies also find a delectable feast in the dead insects 

 floating in the "pitchers"; one species of flesh-fly, 



