172 



THE NATURE BOOK 



hone}- (of which there is none) in attracting purpose of admitting insects of a certain 

 insects. The flowering season extends size only, for there is an arrangement 



from June to August. 



COMMOX SKULLC.\P 



Another member of the LahiaicB to 

 be found gro\\'ing in moist spots is the 

 Skullcap {Scutellaria galcriculata). but it 



inside by means of which the pollen, 

 which has fallen out of the anthers, will 

 be displaced and showered down on the 

 back of the small insect as it pushes its 

 way through in search of nectar, and 

 which is carried by it to another flower. 



AVATEK PLANTAIN. 



is difficult to say what is the origin of 

 the common name, for there is no re- 

 semblance to a skull. The branching 

 stems spring up from a creei)ing root- 

 stock, growing nearly a foot in height ; 

 the leaves have scarcely any stalks at all ; 

 they are arranged in alternate pairs uj) 

 the stem, and from the axil of each leaf 

 a flower is produced ; these flowers all 

 turn to one side and are of a bluish 

 colour. The li])s of the corolla are very 

 nearly closed. This seems to be for the 



The Lesser Skull(\ip {Scutellaria minor) 

 is a much smaller })lant, bearing small 

 ])ink flowers ; it is nnich less common in 

 England. Both these plants flower 

 throughout the summer. 



\\'ATKR PLANTAIN 



The photograph of the Water Plantain 

 {Alisma Planta'^o aquaiica) shows the 

 a])j)earance of the plant in the early seed- 

 ing stage after it has flowered. The large 

 leaves, all springing from the root, and 



