59 



it docs, however, change to much lighter tints, some as pale 

 as cream-c()h)i-. In our search every gradation is found, 

 l)ut in every case tiie deeper and therefore more permanent 

 shade of the honey guides remains, only somewhat nioditied 

 in color. Thus we get l)ack to our yeUow examj)le with its 

 Indian-red honey guides, the reu)aining vestiges of its 

 original color I In this same example there is very likely 

 to he found smaller spots on the three lower petals ; these 

 are less marked for the reason that the smaller insects, 

 which are careless and don't stop to read the clearly letteied 

 guide-board of the upper petals, foolishly alight below, 

 where they are del)arred from getting at the nectar by a 

 sort of cheval-de-frtse^ or erect, fringe barrier ; but the 

 silly insects stimulate just the same, though in such less 

 degree that the three spots not infrequentl}' wholly disap- 

 pear, while the two upper, more thoroughly made, will 

 persist. We have in these lower spots a hint that honey 

 guides do not al\va3^s guide ! 



Example 2. — We will brietiy describe another example. 



One vari(!ty of the slender S{)anish Iris is of a beautiful 

 itlu(\ with a golden-yellow spot on each of its three outer 

 segments. It is more wonderful to behold than the Nastur- 

 tium, l)ut, as we have fully descrii)ed above the principle of 

 honey-guide decoration, all its mystery disappears. 



As in Nasturtium, this ilower has many varieties. The 

 typical tlower is entirely yellow, with no markings (except a 

 little more of a Naples yellow tint in the place of a honey 

 guide, but practically no guide at all ; it might be added in 

 this connection that the bees get along just as well in the 

 yellow flower with no guide, as the}' do in the blue flower 

 with the brightest possible sign to arrest their attention : it 

 all de[iends upon habit ! 



Rut to return to our subject. The general yellow in this 

 case. fades completely to white, except the markings, which 

 remain as in Tropseolum ; hence there is a white variety 

 with a yellow honey guide ; then begins a tinge of blue on 



