236 REVIEWS. 



and we shall presently see that this holds good in their felo- 

 nious practice of biting holes through the corolla." — (p. 420.) 

 As to this latter practice — 



" The motive which impels bees to gnaw holes through the 

 corolla seems to be the saving of time, for they lose much 

 time in climbing into and out of large flowers, and in forcing 

 their heads into closed ones. They were able to visit nearly 

 twice as many flowers, as far as I conld judge, of a Stachys 

 and Pentstemon by alighting on the upper surface of the 

 corolla and sucking through the cut holes, than by entering 

 in the proper way. Nevertheless each bee before it has had 

 much practice, must lose some time in making each new 

 j)erforation, especially when the perforation must be made 

 through both calyx and corolla. This action therefore implies 

 foresight, of which faculty we have abundant evidence in 

 their building operations ; and may we not further believe 

 that some trace of their social instinct, that is, of working 

 for the good of other members of the community, may here 

 likewise play a part ? Many years ago I was struck with the 

 fact that humble-bees as a general rule perforate flowers only 

 when these grow in large numbers near together," etc., etc. 

 (p. 433.) 



It appears that the cutting of these holes is done only by 

 humble-bees, never by hive-bees. Yet the latter are quick to 

 take advantage of them. 



" In the early part of the summer of 1857 I was led to 

 observe during some weeks several rows of the scarlet Kidney- 

 bean (Phaseolus multijlorus^, whilst attending the fertiliza- 

 tion of this plant, and daily saw humble and hive-bees suck- 

 ing at the mouths of the flowers. But one day I found sev- 

 eral humble-bees employed in cutting holes in flower after 

 flower ; and on the next day every single hive-bee, without 

 exception, instead of alighting on the left wing petal and suck- 

 ing the flower in the proper manner, flew straight without the 

 least hesitation to the calyx, and sucked through the holes 

 which had been made only the day before by the humble-bees, 

 and they continued this habit for many following days. Mr. 

 Belt has communicated to me (July 28, 1874) a similar case, 



