NATURAL SELECTION. 
269 
persion of its pollen. The flower has two lips; the 
upper one is nearly straight, but the lower one forms 
a platform for the bee to rest on as she enters the 
flower for nectar. In young blossoms the single 
pistil is erect and under the upper lip. The stamens 
develop the pollen and then shrivel up. Then the 
pistil drops so that its double stigma just touches the 
back of the bee as she enters the corolla, and thus the 
pistil gets some of the pollen taken from a younger 
flower. The stamen is still more peculiar. The two 
developed anthers are supported on two pillars and 
stand erect. When the bee enters the flower, it 
pushes on the lower or rudimentary anthers, so that 
the upper ones drop down on her back and deposit 
their ripe pollen. This the bee carries to the next 
blossom, which takes it off as before described. How, 
it is plain that the plants that have such a contrivance 
most perfectly developed secure the best fertilization 
for the species. Each flower works unselflshly for the 
good of its race. 
Jack-in-the-pulpit is within the reach of every 
one. Upon studying it you will notice that it has a 
central pillar and is surrounded by a protective sheath. 
Hear the bottom of the pillar are a number of stig¬ 
mas ; a little above are the anthers, and above these is 
a circle of hairs. Here the pistils mature first, while 
the pollen is unripe, and so the flower can not become 
self-fertilized. The only way this flower can become 
fertilized is by insects. Small flies enter it either for 
protection or for nectar. The hairs imprison them, 
and in their struggle they are thoroughly dusted with 
