SCARLET GERANIUMS. 151 



cult to decide. Certainly there would be a slight gain 

 in the latter plan, as I have often seen humble-bees un- 

 able to get at the honey of the nasturtium in a lawful 

 fashion owing to the length of the tube (which is not 

 well adapted to any British insect), feloniously appro- 

 priate it by biting through the side in which case, of 

 course, they cannot benefit the plant, as they do not 

 touch the pollen or fertilize the seeds ; while I have 

 never observed anything of the sort happen in a pelargo- 

 nium, where the honey is much better concealed. It is 

 more likely, however, that the spur in this last instance 

 has really grown out of a slight depression along the 

 footstalk ; and, if so, it can never have been a single 

 separate organ. 



