In my initial illustration is shown a sketch of the Figwort, or scrophularia, a tall, spindling weed, with rather fine, luxuriant leaves, it is true, but with a tall, curiously branching spray of small, insignificant purplish-olive flowers, with not even a perfume, like the mignonette, to atone for its plainness. But it has an _odor_ if not a perfume, and it has a nectary which secretes the beads of sweets for its pet companion insects, which in this instance do not happen to be bees or butterflies, but most generally wasps of various kinds, as these insects are not so particular as to the quality of their tipple as bees are apt to be. But the figwort has found out gradually through the ages that _wasps_ are more serviceable in the cross-fertilization of its flowers than other insects, and it has thus gradually modified its shape, odor, and nectar especially to these insects. [Illustration: A. First Day's Welcome--Stigma at the Doorway.] [Illustration: A^1. First Day--Sectional View.] [Illustration: B. Second Day's Welcome--Stigma bent downward beneath two withered Stamens at Doorway.] [Illustration: B^1. Second Day--Sectional View.] [Illustration: C. Third Day's Welcome.--Four Stamens at Doorway.] [Illustration: D. Fourth Day.--Fall of Blossom. Its Mission fulfilled.] Let us then take a careful look at these queer little homely flowers, and for the time being consider them as mere devices--first, to insure the visit of an insect, and, second, to make that insect the bearer of the pollen from one blossom to the stigma of another. Here we see a flower with three distinct welcomes on three successive days. The flower-bud usually opens in the morning, and shows a face as at A, which must be fully understood by looking at the side section shown at A^1. The anthers and pollen are not yet ripe, but the stigma is ready, and now guards the doorway. To-morrow morning we shall see a new condition of things at that doorway, as seen at B and B^1. The stigma has now bent down out of the way, while two anthers have unfolded on their stalks and now shed their pollen at the threshold. The third morning, or perhaps even sooner, the other pair come forward, and we see the opening of the blossom as at C. Blossoms in all these three conditions are to be found on this cluster. [Illustration: Fig. 1]