Am'Dfc°cUri884arm'}        Martynia  and  its  Humble  Servants.  643 
mouth,  and  by  their  seeking  separate  flowers  ;  the  Apis  scarcely  visiting 
the  Martynia,  while  the  Melissodes  crowd  the  corollas  to  the  verge,  so 
eager  are  they  for  the  nectar  secretion.  They  are  as  industrious  and  perse- 
vering as  their  relative,  for  frequently  can  they  be  seen  crowding  the  whole 
length  of  the  corolla,  waiting  patiently  for  their  turn  at  the  fountain  of 
nectar,  and  one,  undisturbed,  will  remain  from  15  to  20  minutes  at  a  single 
flower.  It  is  only  when  congregated  thus  that  they  are  of  any  service  in 
aiding  fertilization,  as  on  account  of  their  size  they  have  easy  access  to  all 
parts  without  distributing  much  pollen  ;  but  when  a  number  of  them  are 
assembled  the  advent  of  a  new  arrival  causes  a  flutter  of  excitement  mo- 
mentarily among  the  little  congregation,  pollen  is  detached,  and,  adhering 
to  portions  of  their  bodies,  is  transported  to  the  stigmas  of  other  flowers 
which  are  thus  fertilized. 
The  Melissodes  prefers  the  base  of  the  flower  for  its  exertions,  but  the 
genus  Halictus,  represented  by  a  beautiful  female,  is  content  with  the  pol- 
len, and  works  very  industriously  at  it,  letting  no  small  amount  fall  on  the 
backs  of  the  "  waiting  congregation"  of  Melissodes,  etc.,  and,  these  subse- 
quently transporting  it  to  the  stigmas  of  other  flowers,  cross  fertilization  is 
again  produced.  This  insect  is  much  smaller  than  the  preceding,  much 
shyer  and  a  great  deal  more  active,  but  not  as  numerously  represented. 
*In  describing  the  plant  nothing  was  said  about  the  viscid  glands  cover- 
ing its  entire  surface,  giving  it  a  somewhat  glaucous  hue,  and  one  unaccus- 
tomed to  the  plant  would  in  all  probability,  on  hasty  inspection,  rank  it  as 
velvety  to  the  touch,  but  on  a  more  extended  investigation  the  mistake 
would  be  clearly  shown  and  the  true  nature  reveal  itself  by  its  resinous 
secretion.  Although  so  numerous,  they  can  scarcely  be  described  without 
the  aid  of  the  microscopical  instrument,  except  that  they  are  of  various 
sizes,  the  largest  about  a  line  in  length,  rather  rigid,  composed  of  from  four 
or  six  to  ten  or  twelve  transparent  elongated  cells,  terminated  in  a  flat- 
tened globe  (mostly),  but  when  a  foreign  substance  touches  the  tip  a  thread- 
like glutinous  mass  is  drawn  out,  exhausting  the  gland  in  part  and  causing 
it  to  assume  another  shape.  They  are  more  numerous  and  larger  on  the 
under  side  of  leaves,  main  stem  and  parts  of  the  inflorescence,  while  the 
upper  side  of  the  leaves  is  covered  with  a  shorter  kind,  nearly  free  from 
resin  (probably  from  attrition  of  elements),  and  the  long  curved  pods  are 
comparatively  free  from  it. 
The  office  of  the  glands  is  at  present  unknown,  but  undoubtedly  they  are 
of  consequence  in  assimilation  to  the  plant  in  this  wise :  from  their  gluti- 
nous nature,  small  insects  meet  their  fate  by  passing  too  near,  or,  forced 
by  the  wind  upon  them,  and  struggling,  they  become  still  more  entrapped, 
and  death  relieves  them  of  their  misery,  and  they  become  disintegrated  by 
unseen  forces.  Whether  or  not  they  are  absorbed  in  the  liquid  or  gaseous 
form  is  yet  to  be  ascertained  ;  many  writers  have  approached  the  subject, 
but  accomplished  nothing.  Darwin  and  Mrs.  Treat  have  proved  the  pres- 
ence of  gastric  juice  in  Drosera  and  Dionsea;  but  then  the  adaptations  are 
dissimilar,  these  being  mobile  and  the  Martynia  immobile. 
It  is  not  altogether  unlikely  that  the  odor  of  the  plant  assists  in  the 
"  slaughter  of  the  innocents,"  by  alluring  them  to  it,  as  it  is  very  offensive 
to  many  people  having  occasion  to  pass  it.    From  the  upper  surface  of  a  leaf 
