'■^ ON PLANT LIFE ^25 



anthers? Why is the corolla white, while 

 the rest of the plant is green? 



The honey of course serves to attract the 

 Humble Bees by which the flower is fertilised, 

 and to which it is especially adapted; the 



Fig. 7. Fig. 8. 



white colour makes the flower more conspicu- 

 ous ; the lower lip forms the stage on which 

 the Bees may alight ; the length of the tube 

 is adapted to that of their proboscis ; its 

 narrowness and the fringe of fine hairs exclude 

 small insects which might rob the flower of 

 its honey without performing any service in 

 return ; the arched upper lip protects the 

 stamens and pistil, and prevents rain-drops 

 from choking up the tube and washing away 

 the honey ; the little teeth are, I believe, of 



