THE PLANT AND ITS HELPERS 7* 



Many blossoms advertise their presence by the 

 gay colours which they display and the sweet 

 perfumes which they exhale. Almost all kinds 

 of flies are very prone to settle on anything 

 which is strikingly marked, and not a few plants 

 have turned this tendency to account. The 

 observations of many students of this particular 

 phase of plant life have gone to show how gaily 

 coloured flowers receive first attention. It has 

 also been demonstrated that certain insects are 

 attracted by a particular colour, and choose this 

 in preference to others. Thus, from the experi- 

 ments of Lord Avebury it appears that bees will, 

 if there should be any choice in the matter, select 

 the blue flowers, while flies seem to be more 

 partial to those of a yellow or brown tint. 



Many species with insignificant blooms have 

 called to their aid showy bracts to advertise the 

 presence of their flowers. Of these, the South 

 American Poinsettia is one of the most striking 

 examples. In this case the true flowers are un- 

 attractive, and would certainly never be noticed 

 on their own merits. However, the flaming red 

 bracts which encircle the small blossoms are so 

 imposing that there are few more striking sights 

 than the Poinsettia in perfection. In the same 

 way the Bougainvilleas have emphasised their small 



