BOTANICAL SUBJECTS. 



31& 



Recently I examined the flower of a parrot-tulip. It had spurs 

 on its petals, one of which is shown in Fig. 138 (a). 



Fig. 138. Petal and leaf of Parrot-tulip : (a) with spur on body of petal, 

 (b) with spur on margin of leaf. 



In one petal the spur projected inwards, in another, outwards. 

 Two of the petals had two spurs each, one projecting inwards 

 and one outwards, the two remaining petals had no spurs. 

 Some of the spurs were like pouches, others were very finely 

 pointed. 



This shows how easily a spur can be formed all of a sudden, 

 without the accumulation of slow steps, and without the helj), 

 either of insects or natural selection. 



Nevertheless, it is hardly conceivable that the spur of 

 AngrcBcum sesquipedale could have come of that length, without 

 the help of insects. 



It is very curious that the tendency to form spurs on the 

 petals in the parrot-tulip is also to be found in its leaves. 

 Fig. 138 {b) shows a spur on the margin of one of the leaves, 

 about half an inch long, with a very narrow tube. It is 

 evidently of the same nature as that shown in Yucca Jlaccida, 

 fig. 137 (6). 



