COLOUR, SCENT, AND HONEY. 



It is an almost invariable rule that wind-fertil- 

 ised flowers are inconspicuous ; but the reverse does 

 not hold good, and there are many flowers which, 

 though habitually visited by insects, are not brightly 

 coloured. In some cases, flowers make up by their, 

 numbers for the want of individual conspicuousness. 

 In others, the insects are attracted by scent; indeed, 

 as has already been mentioned, not only the colour^ 

 of flowers, but the scent also, has no doubt been 

 greatly developed through natural selection, as an 

 attraction to insects. But though bright colours and 

 strong odours are sufficient to attract the attention 

 of insects, something more is required. Flowers, 

 however sweet-smelling or beautiful, would not be 

 visited by insects unless they had some inducements 

 more substantial to offer. These advantages are the 

 pollen and the honey ; although it has been sug- 

 gested that some flowers beguile insects by holding 

 out the expectation of honey which does not really 

 exist, just as some animals repel their enemies by 

 resembling other species which are either dangerous 

 or disagreeable. 



The honey is secreted, sometimes by one part of the 

 flower, sometimes by another; and great variations 

 may be found in this respect even within the limits 

 of a single order. Thus in the Ranunculaceae the 

 honey glands are situated on the calyx, in certain 

 Paeonies ; on the petals, in buttercups and hellebore; 



' In confirmation of this it is stated that when insects are excluded, 

 the blossoms last longer than is otherwise the case ; that when flowers 

 are once fertilised, the corolla soon drops off, its function being per- 

 formed. 



