Wild Flowers as They Grow 



Now follow the movements of one of these b6es 

 as it settles on a spray. There is no alighting 

 platform provided by each flower, as there is in the 

 mimulus, or in the viper's bugloss, but no matter, 

 the neighbouring clustering blossoms do just as well, 

 and, clinging to them, it probes up into the bell. 

 And the first thing that happens is that it knocks 

 its head on the sticky end of the " clapper " at the 

 mouth, so at once some of the poUen dust on its 

 head from the previous flower is rubbed off and 

 sticks on to the "clapper." Then it pushes its 

 proboscis up the bell to find the jdelding barricade 

 of the sixteen horns, but easily thrusts them aside 

 'and gains the honey quarter. This is the moment 

 predestined by the plant, for directly a horn is 

 pushed the anthers (or pollen boxes) are disturbed, 

 the ring is broken, and the little, openings are left 

 exposed. Out pours the poUen, for it had only been 

 kept in by the wall of the adjacent anther, and the 

 head of the bee is once more dust-coated. Mean- 

 while the honey has been carefully stored away 



ig6 



