IS CONSPICUOUSNESS AN ADVANTAGE? 



ing compromised, and color and form are of little consequence 

 in comparison with odor. But this experiment and many 

 others showed that color contrast was of great value — in this 

 particular experiment it was indispensable. If the leaves pro- 

 vided with an ample supply of honey could not obtain a 

 single visit, how little chance would there be for an isolated 

 plant with small green flowers growing in a secluded location 

 attracting visitors ! But a bright-colored flower in the same 

 locality would be much more hkely to gain the attention of 

 pollinators. 



From the preceding experiments it appears that as soon as 

 a conspicuous flower loses its petals bees cease to visit it, and 

 that they find a bright -colored flower more quickly than they 

 do a green one. It remains to show that they can distinguish 

 between different colors, for, if they cannot, then, a poly- 

 chromatic flora possesses no advantage over one in which the 

 flowers are all of the same hue. For this purpose we have 

 made use of differently colored flowers of the same species, 

 which are alike in form and odor, and differ only in color. 

 Differently colored slips of paper might also be employed. 



A honey-bee was trained to visit a purple sweet pea, on the 

 wings of which honey had been placed. The flower was laid 

 on a dull-colored board, raised several feet above the ground. 

 After the bee had become accustomed to the purple color, while 

 it was absent at the hive, the purple flower was moved l'^ inches 

 to the right and a red sweet pea with honey on the wings was 

 put in its place. The bee returned to the purple flower and 

 after taking up a load of honey left again for the hive. 



During its absence no change was made in the position of 

 the flowers. The bee on its return hovered over the red sweet 

 pea and alighted on it for a moment or two, but then left for 

 the purple flower where it took up its load of honey. 



217 



