BEES AS FERTILISERS. 



311 



stigma is receptive ; and, in addition, mechanical 

 means are used for placing the pollen on that part 

 of the fertilising insect which alone can be effective. 

 If we take a recently-opened flower of the Salvia 

 officinalis (common sage), A, Fig. 67, and make a sec- 

 tion, we shall find the stamens are of a most modi- 

 fied character ; the filament (/, C) is extremely short, 

 and very stiffly set upon a curiously modelled part 

 of the corolla, apparently specially designed to give 

 rigidity (s, E). The anther cells, instead of standing 

 at the end of the filament, are widely separated, by a 

 long white rod (c, C), the connective, which is itself 

 hinged to the top of the filament, while the lower 

 anther cell is aborted, producing no pollen. The 

 nectar is secreted, as in the lamium, at the end of 

 the corolla tube. When the blossom is entire, the 

 two aborted anther cells meet together, and bar the 

 entrance to the flower, at the lower part. A bee, 

 attempting to enter, drives her head against the 

 aborted cells, which immediately yield, and run back 

 into the flower, turning the connectives on each side 

 on their hinges {hi, D), at the end of the filaments, by 

 which the anther cells (a, C), carrying pollen, are patted 

 down on to the bee's back (a, D) ; and here a dense 

 patch of coloured dust is left. The nectar having been 

 absorbed, the bee departs, and, as its head is withdrawn, 

 the connectives revolve into their old position, and the 

 anthers await another arrival, until all the pollen has 

 gone. While the anthers wither, the style (st, C and D), 

 short in the young stage of the flower, grows rapidly, 

 and presently occupies the position seen at B. Our 

 gatherer arrives, decorated on the back, and, pushing 



