310 BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 



characters of the order; but the size of the blossom 

 fits it for fertilisation by Humble bees. The extra 

 size, however, will aid us if we pull a flower to pieces. 

 The nectar is found in the lower portion of the tube, 

 around the ovary, where it can easily be seen by 

 removing the calyx (c, A, Fig. 66), and slitting the 

 corolla. This is protected from rain by the umbrella 

 form of the upper lip, which acts more perfectly be- 

 cause it is surrounded by hairs. The tube-like portion 

 of the corolla throws out a broad lip (/), which serves 

 as an alighting-place. The flower, in its earlier stage, 

 has the four anthers (for one is aborted, as in scrophu- 

 laria, and for the same reason — see page 285) arranged 

 in line just under the hood, or umbrella (a, B), so that, 

 as the bee stretches in after the honey, the central 

 parts of the head and thorax get coated with pollen. 

 We notice another curious adaptation : the anthers are 

 very hairy (D), while they look towards one another, 

 so that, as the fertilising granules leave the anther 

 cells, they are held by the hairs right in the median 

 line. The pollen is now carried away by the bee, 

 to be transferred, in turn, to a more advanced flower, 

 where the stigma (s", C) is both receptive and pro- 

 minent. Within the corolla, towards the base, we 

 find a ring of hairs pointing upwards, which effectually 

 prevent small insects, whose backs could not be applied 

 to the anthers, from creeping down the tube, and so 

 stealing the nectar. 



In several other species of Labiates we have still 

 more singular modifications, cross-fertilisation being 

 secured, as in many previous cases, by the stamens 

 coming to maturity, and shrivelling before the 



