blossom Hosts and Insect Guests 



The throat of the nectary, thus centrally divided, 

 presents two small lateral openings, each of which, 

 from the line of approach through the much-nar- 

 rowed entrance of the flowers, is thus broug^ht 

 directly beneath the waiting disk upon the same 

 side. The structure is easily understood from the 



two diagrams. Figs. 2 and 3, 

 both of which are indexed. 

 The viscid pollen-gland is 

 here very peculiarly formed, 

 elongated and pointed at 

 each end, and it is not 

 until we witness the act of 

 its removal on the tongue 

 of the butterfly that we can 

 fully appreciate its signifi- 

 cance. 

 I have often seen butterflies at work upon this 

 orchid, and have observed their tongues generously 

 decorated with the glands and remnants of the 

 pollen masses. 



The series of diagrams (Fig. 4) will, I think, 

 fully demonstrate how this blossom utilizes the 

 butterfly. At A we see the insect sipping, its 

 tongue now in contact with the elongated disk, 

 which adheres to and clasps it. The withdrawal of 



138 



Fig. 



