ATTRACTION OF FLOWERS FOR INSECTS. 271 
Before, however, coming to Prof. Plateau’s new observations, 
it is necessary to have a clear idea of how Bees act. 
If a Hive-bee is brought to, or finds, a small quantity of honey, 
she laps up all she can, carries it off to the nest, and returns for 
more, often accompanied by one or more companions. It is, I 
believe, immaterial, or nearly so, to the Bee on what the honey 
rests, so long of course as it is not tainted. If during the Bee's 
absence the honey is moved, the Bee returns to the same place, 
and then hawks about, looking for it all round. Even if it is 
covered over, she will find it sooner or later. 
I tried various experiments, placing the honey on slips of glass 
placed on coloured paper. 
It must be remembered, as Aristotle was the first to mention, 
that the Hive-bee keeps to one kind of flower in each round 
of visits. Now, suppose a Bee to be visiting—say adaisy. In 
nature flowers are more or less scattered; they do not, at least 
not in all cases, grow in masses as in our gardens. It must be clear 
to everyone that when the Bee has finished the flowers on one 
plant, and has to find another of the same species, the coloured 
lowers would be a great help. Let anyone put a drop of honey 
o a leaf, and another on a piece of white, yellow, red, or blue 
paper on a grass-plot, and see whether the latter is not much the 
More easy to find. 
Row pass to Prof. Plateau's experiments. 
1. 
The first were made with single Dahlias. He cut some squares 
eriourd paper (red, violet, white, and black), and in the ceutre 
®t each he pierced a circular hole corresponding in size with the 
Jellow heart of the flowers. He then pinned these papers on to 
‘ome of the flowers. 
erie N " says :—" On aurait pu supposer que les Insectes se 
— portés exclusivement sur les autres capitules intacts 
i êu grand nombre et auraient négligé complètement les 
p ences masquées," 
T not myself have drawn any such conclusion. The 
al S must have been very conspicuous: the insects were 
Would sea med to come to the bed of flowers, and, once there, 
tof, p : ly find the groups of central florets. l Moreover, 
OWers, g eau does not give us the number of visits to other 
' 80 that no comparison is possible. 
x2 
