. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. VEGETABLE VAGARIES. 285 appears to be a sad, almost sin- ful, waste of one of Flora's most marvellous creations. Doubtless, however, it is the moths only that are required in this instance to assist Dame Nature in the ac- complishment of the essential pur- pose of all floral structures. To these insects the glistening sheen of the white cactus lamps in the pale moonlight must prove an unerring beacon to the honied banquet that awaits them. As they flit from cuj) to cup the large j^rotruding pistil and stellate stigma, distinctly shown in the lowe
. The naturalist in Australia. Natural history. VEGETABLE VAGARIES. 285 appears to be a sad, almost sin- ful, waste of one of Flora's most marvellous creations. Doubtless, however, it is the moths only that are required in this instance to assist Dame Nature in the ac- complishment of the essential pur- pose of all floral structures. To these insects the glistening sheen of the white cactus lamps in the pale moonlight must prove an unerring beacon to the honied banquet that awaits them. As they flit from cuj) to cup the large j^rotruding pistil and stellate stigma, distinctly shown in the lower of the two figures, forms a sort of landing stage or front door-mat upon which the moths must first alight. " Please wipe your shoes before entering " is the mot (Vordre, unwritten l)ut obey- ed, at every golden portal. Con- CEKEl'K W. Sarin,-Eeuf, Phofo. CEKEUS Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Kent, W. Saville (William Saville), d. 1908. London, Chapman & Hall
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
