Soldanella Montana. 149 



same time it would be exposed in its new position to 

 an injurious influence which was quite unknown to the 

 Soldanella alpina that in past ages had occupied the 

 same district. For this long-stalked sub-species when 

 it came into flower would now find animal life already 

 in activity about it, and would be surrounded by creep- 

 ing insects that could easily climb its stem, force their 

 way into the flowers, and get at the nectar by breaking 

 through the thin and weak membranous scales that 

 covered ia the nectary ; so that the advantage of 

 cross-fertilisation, which requires the intermediation 

 of flying insects, would be completely lost. Under 

 these circumstances there can be uo doubt but that 

 any variety which developed glandular and viscid 

 trichomes on its peduncles, and stronger, and there- 

 fore less easily forced, coverings to its nectary, would 

 enjoy much more favourable conditions for survival 

 than such specimens as were without these protec- 

 tive appliances. And even supposing that at first 

 individuals without these appliances might be found 

 co-existing and intermixed with others that had them, 

 yet the former would gradually become rarer and rarer, 

 and at last would be entirely supplanted by scions of 

 the new variety, better adapted to the new conditions. 



Now some such variety must have developed itself 

 somewhere or other within the ancient distribution 

 area of Soldanella alpina, and have been the starting- 

 point for the establishment of a fresh species, namely 



