CLASS V. OUDtU I] VIOLA. 317 



We never meet vviiL the beautiful Violet without admiiiug the 

 construction of its flowers, and the admirable adaptation of its various 

 parts to the fulfilment of the offices assigned to them by the wisdom of 

 the Great Parent of all things. In taking the flower in the hand, we 

 are first struck with the lateral petals having at the base a number of 

 while hairs, which reach over the mouth, and seem to protect it from 

 the intrusion of insects that might disturb the process of the works 

 below, we mean in the stamens and pistils. We next see that the 

 lower petal has at its base an elongated spur like sack, containing a 

 quantity of fluid, and immersed in this are two curved elongated appen- 

 dages, which are from the base of two of the stamens; these will be 

 found to terminate in a naked glandular substance, over which the 

 cuticle does not extend, but is the prolongation of the inner substance, 

 composed of a number of tubes, N:c., and which appear to absorb the 

 fluid secreted in the spur, and apply it to the increased demand of 

 nutriment to the stamens, and probably also the ovules in the germen 

 during the period of fecundation ; this supposition is strengthened from 

 the fact, that after the discharge of the pollen no more tluid is secreted 

 in the spur. If we next examine the stamens, we find that they sur- 

 round the germen and pistil, and that each is surmounted by a pointed 

 membrane, which unfolds the upper part of the style, and forms a kind 

 of tube. We find also that the stamen is formed of two long cells, 

 which burst longtiludinally at the top, and that each cell has at its 

 apex a broadish bristle. Now this very admirable contrivance appears 

 to be formed for the purpose of conveying the minute grains of the 

 discharged pollen to the stigma, to prevent its dispersion around, 

 and for the greater certainty of securing its application to the stigma, 

 which is curved for its more easy accomplishment; for upon examina- 

 tion of the pistil, we find it also of a very curious construction. 

 As already stated it is thickened upwards, and curved at the ex- 

 tremity, and at the apex there is a small round orifice, which opens 

 into a short hollow space, which contains a fluid, keeping moist the 

 surface of the stigma, which is thus surrounded with a kind of hood; 

 the upper or swollen part of the stigma is filled with the peculiar 

 cellular structure proper to the stigma, but is again hollow in the lower 

 contracted part. From the peculiar formation of the covered stigma, 

 it will be seen what use there is in the peculiar formation of the 

 stamens for the directing of the pollen to come in contact with the 

 surface of the stigma ; and what at first appears a useless appendage, 

 will be seen to be a very curious and admirable structure, to accomplish 

 an important purpose in the economy of the plant : but this is only 

 one instance of the beautiful adaptation of one part to another, the 

 same more or less unvaried contrivance for the accomplishment of the 

 same purpose will be found in the whole of the species of this in- 

 teresting genus But were wc to examine the diflercnt parts of any 



