12 Life of Plants 
day; and on the other hand, that those 
which are fertilised by bees would gain 
nothing by being open at mght. Nay it 
would bea distinct disadvantage, because it 
would’ render them liable, firstly to be 
robbed of their honey and pollen, by insects 
which are not capable of fertilising them, 
and secondly, to haye the pollen injured, and 
the honey washed away, by rain. I have 
suggested then, and it 1s now I think 
generally admitted, that the closing of 
flowers may haye reference to the habits of 
insects; it may also be observed also in 
support of this that wind-fertilised flowers 
do not sleep; that some of those flowers 
which attract msects by smell, emit their 
scent at particular hours; and that night opening flowers are as a rule white or light 
yellow. Thus, Hesperis matronalis and Lychnis vespertina smell in the evening, and 
Orchis bifolia is- particularly sweet at night. The evening Lychnis is white, and the 
nearly allied Lychnis diurna is red. 
~ Let us take the -history of one very common flower—the Common Dandelion. 
When it is in bud the flower stalk is short and les on the ground. When the 
flower is ready to open, the stalk raises itself perpendicularly. What we call a Dandelion 
flower is really a bunch of flowers—some hundred florets ranged on a flat disk. The 
‘outer rows Of florets open first, then the inner and inner rows, ending with the 
centre ones. This lasts some days, and every evening about sunset the flower head 
closes up, so as to protect the delicate florets from night dews, and probably from 
night insects. I found however that I could keep a Dandelion awake all night, ~by 
exposing it to the blaze of an Argand lamp. When all the florets have opened, the 
yellow corollas shrivel up, the stalk lays itself down on the ground so as to be out 
of danger, and the seeds gradually mature. When they are ripe the flower ‘stalk by 
some mysterious instinct becomes aware of the fact, and raises itself so as to stand 
up boldly in the wind,- which seizes the seeds by their beautiful parachutes, carries 
them off to fresh fields and pastures new, and thus enables the plant to sow itself im 
any suitable place. 
WATER Lik 
From a drawing by Professor I’. Hulme, F.L.S., 7.S.A. 
Fig. 6. 
(Lo be continued.) 
THE INTRUSION. THE CHASE. THE DEFEAT, 
From photographs by W, Suville-Kent, F.Z.S. 
