130 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE chap. 



has been more careful. When the Bee alights 

 it clasps the "wings" of the flower with its 

 legs, thus pressing them down; they are, 

 however, locked into the " keel," or lower 

 petal, which accordingly is also forced down, 

 thus exposing the pollen which rubs against, 

 and part of which sticks to, the breast of the 

 Bee. When she leaves the flower the keel 

 and wings rise again, thus protecting the rest 

 of the pollen and keeping it ready until 

 another visitor comes. It is easy to carry out 

 the same process with the fingers. 



PRIMULA 



In the Primrose and Cowslip, again, we find 

 quite a different plan. It had long been 

 known that if a number of Cowslips or Prim- 

 roses are examined, about half would be found 

 to have the stigma at the top of the tube and 

 the stamens half way down, while in the other 

 half the stamens are at the top and the stigma 

 half way down. These two forms are about 

 equally numerous, but never occur on the 



