i6 THE COLOURS OF FLOWERS. 



proceed, therefore, will be that petals are really de- 

 rived from altered stamens. We shall return at a later 

 point to the proofs of this position, and examine a 

 few arguments which may be brought against it. For 

 the present, it will be better to put forward the 

 remainder of our general theory at once, without 

 interrupting the exposition by any alien controversial 

 matter. For the most part, it must find its evidence 

 in its perfect congruity with all the established facts 

 of the science. 



