BEES IN RELATION TO FLOWERS. 



255 



now ready to receive the grains. Thus again inter- 

 breeding is secured. 



FIG. 78. SALVIA OFFICINALIS. 

 (New bloom.) 



FIG. 79. SALVIA OFFICINALIS. 

 (Old bloom.) 



The next figure represents the very curious 

 arrangement of the stamens in the Erica tetralix, or 

 common heath. These, eight in number, are seen 

 standing round the style, at about half its length. 



FIG. 80. A. ERICA IETRALIX. B. ANTHER OF TETRALIX. 



Each is held by a long filament (only one of which 

 is shown in the figure), and is armed with a horn-like 

 process. When the anthers are ripe, the pollen 

 would escape from openings in their sides, were it 

 not that the little slits abut on each other. When, 



