THE SELF-FERTILIZATION OF PLANTS. 40? 



accomplished, yet beautifully concentering its muscles 

 and sight, with a view to the capture of a passing in- 

 sect, is a phenomenon which is to be seen, just within 

 the portals of a world of knowledge, which needs as 

 yet a Columbus to explore. But, unresolved as such 

 coadaptations may be; and, however much they may 

 subserve physiological purposes — as they unquestion- 

 ably do, for many species which are ill-proportioned 

 would long since have become extinct, were not cross- 

 ing effected, with them, by means of insects — the truth 

 remains, that no crude, empirical inferences from such 

 unexplained data, will avail against the law, that physi- 

 ological integrity is consistent, only with full develop- 

 ment, in any individual, of all the characters of its 

 species; and that neither self-fertilization, nor close- 

 interbreeding, can in any way affect such integrity 

 where the above condition, proportionate development, 

 is fulfilled. 



