SHORT CUTS ВУ BIRDS TO NECTARIES. 415 
an instance of discriminative action by these. “ Hive-bees were there” [at 
Abutilon] “in profusion, but they did not, as a rule, enter the flowers, as 
they could probe the nectary through the openings at the base of the petals. 
On one plant, however, where the flowers were iarge and well-formed, they 
did enter in the usual way.” 
Dr. Lowe also evidently found, as I have done, that not all individuals 
pierced. At any rate he believes that only the male Blackeaps did so. In 
the case of Sunbirds I seem to have found that the males are the chief but 
by no means the exclusive piercers. Мг. Ogilvie-Grant tells me in this 
connection that to the best of his recollection the Blackcaps, whatever their 
sex, that were brought home by Capt. Boyd Alexander from Cape Verde had 
their foreheads yellow with pollen. They may, of course, had to deal with 
some flower that did not lend itself to piercing. C. Е. M. 5. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
PLATE 31. 
Fig.l. The two Canna heads of the observations of May 20, 1913. A. (Canna sp.), with 
flowers the natural openings of which were hard to reach; these were entered 
improperly even by the more accommodating Sunbird. The flowers of В. ( Canna 
indica, Linn., var. orientalis), the natural openings of which were easily reached 
from the spathe, were, on the other hand, entered properly by her, though 
artificial openings were present and had been used by her more particular mate. 
The arrows indicate the points of entry by the female, and the crosses the spots 
in which she punctured in the case of В. The flowers were picked and drawn 
immediately after the operation. 
g. 2. A flower of Leonotis mollissima, Gürke, with only the corolla slit. 
Fig. 3. (More usual): flowers of Z. mollissima with both calyx and corolla slit, the calyx, 
as is natural, always further forward than the corolla. 
Fig. 4. Rough drawing of Sunbirds at a verticillaster of Leonotis mollissima, to illustrate 
their methods. The verticillaster possesses a flaw in its lower centre, whereby 
some of the flower-bases are exposed. 
А. (Cinnyris venusta. var. niass@, Reichw.) is evading a flower's natural opening 
by an approach from above ; in actually entering, the bird commonly hangs boldly 
out, showing its legs, and is thereby probably enabled to probe well in. 
В. (Cyanomitra olivacina, Gadow) is entering by an artificial opening a flower 
with exposed base. 
C. (of the same species) is about to enter a convenient flower by its natural 
opening. 
Fig. 5. Section to illustrate the plan of the verticillaster of Leonotis mollissima, Giirke ; 
mutual protection by close massing. 
(Figs. 1, 2, & 3 were drawn from the actual flowers damaged or visited, freshly picked.) 
