SHORT CUTS BY BIRDS ТО NECTARIES. 385. 
will make things clearer. Curiously two of the three flowers оп В possessed 
sunbird punctures at their base, but these were ignored in favour of the 
easily reached natural opening--tending to show that even if some birds 
tend to pierce indiscriminately, those that follow them may discriminate. 
“Tt struck ше to ascertain whether basal flowers, still capable of being 
reached from the spathe, suffer in general as much piercing as the more 
terminal ones. I first took the variety (Canna indica var. orientalis) to which 
B belongs. I could find only twelve flowers of the first kind. Of these, 
6 were pierced, 6 not. Of 30 more terminal flowers 18 were pierced, 12 not. 
In 64 non-basal flowers of two other varieties or species (large orange- 
copper with bronze leaves, and small yellow like A referred to above) 54 were: 
pierced, 10 not (*copper? 20 : 2, small yellow 38: 8). No basal flowers 
were available for these species.” 
“June 2nd. Saw a male С. chalybeus enter wrongly even three or 
four flowers, more or less sheathed, of Canna indica var. orientalis (== B) as 
well as one standing well out. A female shortly followed. She visited the 
same flowers, the more or less sheathed ones by their natural openings—not all 
of them very easy—and the one that was more inaccessible by the opening 
made and used by the male.” 
I have frequently noticed in these Cannas that, as a rule, the fruits are 
massed at their bases, the terminal portion of the axis being bare. Dis- 
criminative action of the kind just described might produce such a result, for 
it is the basal flowers that are usually in this species the easiest of entry by 
the natural opening. On the other hand, a capacity to carry only a limited 
number of fruits, such as probably exists, would alone sufficiently account for 
the terminal bareness in cases in which the basal flowers had been successful. 
Summary :— 
1. Sunbirds (C. chalybeus) were actually seen, on many occasions, making 
short cuts to the nectaries of Canna indica, var. orientalis, Rose. (and other 
species) or utilizing previously-made short cuts, and thus evading the duty 
of pollination. 
2. Individual birds varied. Some were probably nearly, or quite, indis- 
criminating ; they seldom used the flower’s natural opening, even when 
this was easy of access. Others were discriminating, utilizing the artificial 
openings only when the natural ones were somewhat inconvenient. 
C. OBSERVATIONS ON Агов Swywverront, Rendle. 
Subsequently to the above observations a low aloe with several flowering 
branches, growing beside the house, was in bloom for nearly a month. Close 
to it were three tall Canna plants of В variety. А pair ot sunbirds 
(С. chalybæus) used to visit both daily. I occasionally watched the birds, 
