Guests Welcome and Unwelcome 239 



day at noon to begin to blossom and grow warm at 

 the same time, its temperature rising beyond 100° F. 

 Suddenly it gave out a strong fragrant scent, between 

 that of cinnamon and musk, which filled the whole 

 house, and would no doubt have been a well- under- 

 stood signal in its own country, telling the small 

 marsh-snails that their night quarters were ready. 

 These would climb the stalk and find entrance by a 

 narrow opening at the base of the sheath, which would 

 soon after close upon them. Twenty- four hours later 

 the scent and warmth have much diminished, but then 

 the anthers open and drop down their pollen, not in 

 separate grains, but in chains or tassels of grains 

 adhering together, as much as an inch long, and far too 

 bulky therefore to be carried away by insects. On 

 coming in contact with the moist bodies of the snails, 

 however, the chains separate into grains, which adhere 

 and are borne away when the guests move on. 



And they are obliged to move on soon after the 

 pollen has fallen or else they would be suffocated ; for 

 the blossoms have been breathing vigorously in a con- 

 fined space, and so much carbon has been burnt, and 

 so much carbon-dioxide produced, that the bulb of the 

 sheath is completely filled with it, and a glowing match 

 held within is extinguished. Such visitors as stay too 

 long are therefore safely suffocated, and thus prevented 

 from eating the young fruit, which they would other- 

 wise do without fail. 



The prudent snails, however, having enjoyed their 

 warm bed and nectar, do not outstay their welcome ; 

 but, when these passing pleasures have come to an 

 end, they linger no longer, make the best of their way 

 up the sheath and down the long stem, and then 



