The Making of Species 
yarrow or wild parsnip. These distinctions made 
by certain kinds of beasts will probably in the 
future be found to afford valuable evidence as to 
the regions of origin of our flowers and animals. 
Such plants as the yarrow and the wild parsnip, 
for instance, probably did not originate in the 
home of the wild horse, because they are not 
protected against it. 
“As a general rule, however, there is abun- 
dance of evidence that plants with conspicuous 
flowers gain a large advantage in the struggle for 
existence, because grazing and browsing animals 
avoid them; while there is no real evidence at 
all that conspicuous flowers attract insects.” 
Kay Robinson extends this explanation to the 
shape, the scent, and the nectar of flowers. He 
admits that many flowers are adapted to the visits 
of insects, but this is, he asserts, but a secondary 
result. The “real, primary meaning” of the 
shapes of flowers of curious configuration is, he 
insists, ‘‘a deterrent to grazing or browsing 
animals.” 
According to him plants, like the snap-dragon, 
which have “blossoms in the semblance of a 
mouth,” are avoided by grazing animals, because 
they mistake such flowers for mouths, and have 
no wish to be bitten! Orchids, he asserts, “are 
strongly deterrent to grazing and _ browsing 
animals, which are looking for greenstuff, and 
regard these gaudy, spidery, winged blossoms as 
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