952 



THE NATURE BOOK 



fact that in the centre of each bloom an 

 arrangement of li\-e hairs gives rise to a 

 curious iUusion. Each of these processes 

 presents the appearance of being tipped 

 with a shining drop of nectar, although, 

 as a matter of fact, the flower is quite 

 devoid of honey. Anyone who cares 

 to watch the flowers of this charming bog 

 plant on a fine summer day, will see that 

 a large number of flies are decei\'ed into 

 the belief that the glistening points will 

 yield them some reward if they visit the 

 flower. The little insects seem to be 

 quite disgusted when they discover that 

 the feast of honey which they had expected 

 to find does not exist at all. Yet the 

 clever plant has achieved its object in 

 drawing the attention of a visitor who 



will be likely to aid in the dispersal of 

 the pollen. 



It seems almost certain that in not a 

 few cases the pollen itself is offered as 

 an inducement to the insect to visit the 

 flower. There is little doubt that large 

 numbers of small beetles, which in one 

 way may be regarded as robbers, act as 

 the agents for the carrying of the pollen 

 from one bloom to the other. This is 

 easy to understand in the case of those 

 plants which produce pollen largely in 

 excess of their actual needs. An observer 

 has been at pains to count the number of 

 grains produced by the flower of the 

 Hibiscus. It was estimated that sixty 

 grains would be amply sufficient to 

 fertilise all the ovules of the blossoms. 



SmE VIEW OF THE FLOWER OF ARISTOLOCHIA GIG AS, SHOWING THE 

 TORTUOUS PASSAGE IN WHICH THE FLIES ARE ENTRAPPED. 



