340 
POPULAR SCIENCE REYIEW. 
is always economical of her resources ; and accordingly we do 
not generally find that strong scent and brilliant variegation of 
colour are bestowed on the same flower. Those which are most 
prized for the power or delicacy of their scent have, as a rule, 
flowers either inconspicuous, or, if large and conspicuous, of 
uniform unvariegated colour ; as, for instance, the mignonette. 
Daphne, primrose, sweet violet, lily of the valley, rose, evening 
primrose, pink (in its primitive white state), honey-suckle, 
lime-tree, and many others ; while the most brilliantly-varie- 
gated flowers are comparatively or quite scentless, as the fritil- 
lary. Pelargonium, larger and smaller Convolvulus, Tropseolum, 
Mimulus, Eanunculus, pansy, &c. In scented flowers the scent 
proceeds from the nectar itself, and is therefore a sufficient 
guide for the insects in search of it. One of the largest of 
scented flowers, the evening primrose, blossoming only in the 
night, is fecundated by night-flying moths, which probably re- 
quire the large sulphur-yellow flowers, as well as the scent, to 
guide them from a distance in the dim light. A distinction 
may also be drawn in general terms between the mode of fer- 
tilisation of large conspicuous and of smaller variegated flowers ; 
the agents in the former case being generally large insects, 
butterflies, moths, beetles, or bees ; in the latter very much 
smaller ones. If a watch is kept on very large flowers, such 
as the single hollyhock, single peony, “ Convolvulus major ” of 
the gardens, the large white wild Convolvulus, Fuchsia, &c., it 
will be seen that their visitors mostly consist of large beetles, 
hive or bumble-bees, or butterflies, while the small flowers are 
overrun with small flies or other minute insects to whom the 
variegation serves as a guide, the streaks or rows of colouring 
invariably pointing to the nectary or receptacle of honey. 
American naturalists state that many of the largest and most 
gorgeous flowers of the western continent, such as the Bignonias 
or trumpet-flowers, are fecundated by humming-birds. A very 
good illustration of the different contrivances exhibited by two 
closely-allied plants — one scented and fertilised by bees, the 
other scentless and variegated and fertilised by very minute 
insects — is afforded by the sweet violet and the pansy.* 
If attention is paid to the arrangement and position of the 
stigmas and stamens at the time when insects are seeking the 
lowers for the sake of the honey, it will be seen that the anthers 
are almost always at this time discharging their pollen, and 
Ihat it is impossible for the insect to find its way to the nectary, 
or to insert its proboscis into it, without brushing against one or 
more of the anthers, and carrying away with it a portion of the 
pollen. Either in its retreat from the flower or in entering the 
See Nature,” vol. viii. p. 49, May 15, 1873. 
