THE OEIGIN OF BUTTERCUPS. 103 



insects. Those flowers which best succeeded in alluring 

 their little winged 'guests would naturally hold their 

 own against all less highly-endowed competitors, and 

 would hand on their own constitution to their de- 

 scendants. In this way insect-fertilised plants have 

 acquired the bright petals and sweet scents which 

 chiefly make them noticeable to our human senses. 

 A brief examination of the buttercup blossom will 

 show us the use which they subserve, and the way in 

 which they act in the simplest forms of insect-fertilised 

 flowers. 



Pull out one of the golden petals from the outside 

 of the head, and you will see at its base a small hollow 

 spot, covered by a tiny concave scale. That spot is 

 the nectary, and it contains a single drop of pure 

 honey. The honey is put there to entice bees and 

 other insects ; it is the wage offered them by the 

 plant in return for the service which they perform for 

 it in fertilising its seeds. The golden hue of the 

 petals, again, acts as an advertisement for the honey ; 

 the bees know that such bright hues are never found 

 in any flowers except those which specially lay them- 

 selves out to bid for their favour. When a bee sees 

 the brilliant colour, he flies straight towards the 

 blossom and settles on the little boss of carpels in the 

 centre. Here he sips the honey for his own behoof e 

 and at the same time dusts himself with pollen on 

 behalf of the flower ; for, as soon as the blossom 

 opens, the stamens discharge their precious burden, 

 beginning from the outside and slowly ripening 



