148 The Flower 



against the visiting bee, or some explosive mechanism 

 which makes them when touched jump up and scatter 

 the pollen. If you notice flowers carefully and watch 

 the various insects gathering honey, you will see what 

 an interesting subject this is, and how each flower is 

 suited to the size and shape of the particular insect 

 that is found there, as the foxglove to humble bees, 

 honeysuckle to long-tongued hawk-moths, and night 

 flowers like the evening primrose to night-flying moths. 



PRACTICAL WORK. 



1. Pull the petals off your dead nettle flowers. What do you 

 notice near the base of the pistil 1 Has it any taste ? What is it ? 

 Why is it there ? 



2. Draw (natural size) the flowers of pansy, nasturtium, fox- 

 glove. 



3. Do you see any spots or stripes on the petals of any of the 

 flowers ? If so which way do they lead ? Why are they there ? 



4. Some trees with wind-fertilised flowers, as the ash and hazel, 

 flower in early spring. Can you suggest a reason for this ? 



5. You are given flowers of stinging nettle, honeysuckle, lime, 

 flowering grass, elder. Head five columns as follows: Name, 

 Colour, Scent, Honey, Fertilised by insects. Now look carefully at 

 each flower and write down its name and colour in the first two 

 columns and yes or no in the last three. 



6. Draw a sweet pea flower (four times natural size) front and 

 side view. Mark with a cross in both drawings the exact place 

 where you think a bee would alight on the flower. 



7. Taking the flower itself press with your pencil point where 

 the bee would settle. What happens ? What happens when you 

 take the pencil away ? 



