§ \-ll.] FACULTIES AND FU.\CTIO.\S. 57 



female ; and at length in some far-off spot he may succeed 

 ill finding the females, equally by themselves, yet in full 

 seed. In these cases there is nothing but the visits of 

 pollen-gathering insects which , can convey the fertilising 

 dust to the flower for which it is designed. And accord- 

 ing to Mr. Darwin all plants are practically dicecious, 

 for he states that the pollen, to have a fertilising effect, 

 must be brought to the pistils of one flower from the 

 stamens of one on another root. Whether this be con- 

 sidered established or not, there remains the fact of the 

 existence of dioecious plants as explaining the admirable 

 design of the provision that a bee in the course of one 

 flight shall gather pollen solely from one species. As far 

 as honey-gathering is concerned the bee is not governed 

 by this rule ; but for this other important function it 

 becomes absolutely essential that the right pollen, and 

 that only, should be conveyed to the right flower. The 

 careful observer may note how the dust on the bodies 

 of bees varies from yellow to red and brown according 

 to the kind of flowers from which it has been gathered, 

 and the " socks," as the Germans call them, on the two 

 hind legs will be found always of the same colour. 



To no scientific man are we probably more indebted 

 for observations and deductions upon this branch than 

 to Sir John Lubbock. Whilst this edition was in course 

 of preparation it was the writer's privilege to listen 

 to a lecture upon "Relations of Plants and Insects" 

 delivered by this able investigator before the Society 



