Kay Robinson's Theory 



live creatures." " If this is not the truth," he 

 asks, " will any adherent of the theory that we 

 owe the shapes of flowers to insects explain why 

 some of our common British orchids are so like 

 bees, spiders, etc. ? Some which have no parti- 

 cular resemblance to any insect still exhibit weird 

 shapes, suggestive to the human mind of living 

 things, such as lizards, etc. The reason why they 

 look like bees, spiders, lizards, and various un- 

 classed creatures is quite simple. Grazing 

 animals are looking for greenstuff, and do not 

 wish to eat living creatures which may bite or 

 sting or taste nasty. Thus the orchids have 

 acquired the power of looking like creatures. 



" Every one," he continues, " who is familiar 

 with the blossom of the wild carrot a flat head 

 of minute, dull-white blossoms must have 

 noticed how very often the centre blossom in 

 each head is purplish or reddish-black. This 

 makes it very conspicuous in the middle of the 

 flat white flower head. Now what conceivable 

 use can this barren little blackish blossom 

 scarcely bigger than a pin's head be to the 

 wild carrot plant if we regard the flat head of 

 white flowers as an attraction to the sight of 

 insects ? If, on the other hand, we rightly regard 

 the flat head of white blossoms as an advertise- 

 ment to grazing animals that it is not wholesome 

 greenstuff, but innutritious blossoms liable to be 

 infested with ants and other stinging insects, we 



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