68 THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. [CHAP. 



would require. Surely, for minute accidental indefinite va- 

 riations to have built up such a striking resemblance to in- 

 sects, we ought to find that the preservation of the plant, 

 or the perpetuation of its race, depends almost constantly 

 on relations between bees, spiders, and flies respectively 

 and the bee, spider, and fly orchids. 38 This process must 

 have continued for ages constantly and perseveringly, and 

 yet what is the fact ? Mr. Darwin tells us, in his worl^ on 

 the " Fertilization of Orchids," that neither the spider nor 

 the fly orchids are much visited by insects, while, with re- 

 gard to the bee orchid, he says, " I have never seen an in- 

 sect visit these flowers." And he shows how this species 

 is even wonderfully and specially modified to effect self- 

 fertilization. 



In the work just referred to Mr. Darwin gives a series 

 of the most wonderful and minute contrivances by which 

 the visits of insects are utilized for the fertilization of orchids 

 structures so wonderful that nothing could well be more 

 so, except the attribution of their origin to minute, fortui- 

 tous, and indefinite variation. 



The instances are too numerous and too long to quote, 

 but in his " Origin of Species " 33 he describes two which 

 must not be passed over. In one ( Coryanthes) the orchid 

 has its lower lip enlarged into a bucket, above which stand 

 two water-secreting horns. These latter replenish the bucket 

 from which, when half-filled, the water overflows by a spout 

 on one side. Bees visiting the flower fall into the bucket 

 and crawl out at the spout. By the peculiar arrangement 

 of the parts of the flower, the first bee which does so car- 



32 It, has been suggested in opposition to what is here said, that there 

 is no real resemblance, but that the likeness is "fanciful! " The denial, 

 however, of the fact of a resemblance which has struck so many ob- 

 servers, reminds one of the French philosopher's estimate of facts hostile 

 to his theory " Tant pis pour les faits ! " 



33 Fifth edition, p. 236. 



