128 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE chap. 



Bee on the back, and dusting it with pollen. 

 When the flower is a little older the pistil 

 (Fig. 9, p) has elongated so that the stigma 

 (Fig. 10, st) touches the back of the Bee and 

 carries off some of the pollen. This sounds a 

 little complicated, but is clear enough if we 

 take a twig or stalk of grass and push it 

 doAvn the tube, when one arm of each of the 

 two larger stamens will at once make its 

 appearance. It is one of the most beautiful 

 pieces of plant mechanism which I know, 

 and was first described by Sprengel, a poor 

 German schoolmaster. 



SNAPDKAGON 



At first sight it may seem an objection to 

 the view here advocated that the flowers in 

 some species — as, for instance, the common 

 Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), which, according 

 to the above given tests, ought to be fertilised 

 by insects — are entirely closed. A little con- 

 sideration, however, will suggest the reply. 

 The Snapdragon is especially adapted for 



