130 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



drawn from one tube and thrust into another, they 

 are thickly smeared with golden pollen ; and when 

 flowers from which they have just been feeding are 

 examined, the long oval stigmas will be found coated 

 with adhering grains. In rifling the flowers, there- 

 fore, they confer a benefit on the plant, and do 

 not play the part of mere robbers, like the great 

 brown hornets, who share their liking for the nectar, 

 but who, in order to reach it, drill holes through 

 the corollas below the level at which the anthers 

 lie. 



Curiously enough, they do not seem to care 

 for the fluid in the corollas of the silk-cotton-trees, 

 which is so attractive to so many other kinds of 

 birds that the trees, when in full bloom, become 

 noisy and riotous taverns thronged with excited 

 topers. The unopened flowers of Hibiscus rosa- 

 sinensis are greatly frequented in the early morning, 

 on account of some attractive material to be found 

 at the bases of the petals. Erythrinas are also very 

 popular ; the clusters of their bright red flowers 

 are very often alive with a throng of clinging and 

 fluttering little thieves ; and an even more charming 

 picture presents itself when the latter are busy among 

 the deep green foliage and tufted crimson inflorescence 

 of Hcematocephala Hodgsoni. 



Their nervous energy is astonishing, and in- 

 cessantly overflows in active movement. They 

 seem to be quite unable to rest while awake, and 



