INSECTS AND FLOWERS. 143 



the presence of honey, which is well known to 

 be very commonly present in flowers, ami in 

 most of those already discussed is to be found 

 in fairly large amounts. 



6. To sum up then, we find that in flow- 

 ers the stamens and pistil are essential to the 

 production of seed. The sepals, petals are not 

 essential ; the former acting as a protective cov- 

 ering to the young flower, and the latter hav- 

 ing other uses in relation to insects. 



INSECTS AND FLOWERS. 



1. Still bearing in mind such a case as 

 the pumpkin we have next to discover how 

 the pollen finds its way from a staminate flower 

 to the stigma of a pistillate flower which 

 although on the same plant, may be several 

 feet or yards away. Those who grow pump- 

 kins know that it is not actually necessary to 

 go to the trouble of putting pollen on the 

 stigmas ; yet fruits, containing good seeds, are 

 regularly formed. There must be some way 

 therefore in which pollen naturally gets from 

 one flower to another. 



2. Careful watching of a bed of pumpkins 

 will often show that the open flowers have vari- 

 ous visitors. In the flower are often a large 

 number of ants, busily engaged in eating honey 



