104 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



discharge some pollen. I had the combination, 

 and could open the storehouse at pleasure. No 

 need to see the Peacock butterfly at his work. The 

 dent. If the butterfly brings pollen he will deposit 

 some on the prominent pistil; then, thrusting his 

 head into the corolla in search of sweets, he is pretty 

 sure to get entangled in some of the hooks of the 

 anthers, and in freeing himself he will set the mys- 

 terious springs in motion, throw open the little pol- 

 len safes, and bear away some of their precious 

 horde to anotlier waiting flower. 



Tlie sketch shows a cluster of flowers and buds, 

 and two stamens greatly enlarged, the anthers of 

 the one closed, and those of the other with hooks 

 pulled, doors open, and pollen falling out. 



The Bean Family 



Among plants as among human beings, some odd 

 peculiarities seem to "run in families," and to 

 be more pronounced in some members than in 

 others. Let us quiz the manners of the members 

 of the Bean family, and see how some behave. 

 Some of them are pronounced misers, and are very 

 stingy with their pollen store. In almost every 

 case they keep it shut up in a boat-shape receptacle, 

 and cover this with a neat roof. 



