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blue. Of course any bright color in contrast with the 

 green foliage Avould arrest attention, but examples of green 

 tlovvers being freelj' visited by swarms of insects are too 

 numerous to warrant the assertion that color is essential, 

 and especially a particular color for particular species. 

 There is not the slightest doubt, however, that bees do 

 distinguish between colors and that they i)rofit by the dis- 

 tinction, as Avhcn they select, not from taste, but for their 

 advantage, a white rose with yellow stamens rather than a 

 white rose with brown stamens, or a white Weigelea rosea 

 in ])reference to a pink one. 



Moreover they have no choice in the matter, for if they 

 wish the freshest and best supply of nectar they must take 

 the lirst color in these changeable flowers, in one case 

 yellow, in the other white, etc. ; in Lathyrus maritimus and 

 numerous others they are obliged to take pink which is 

 followed by blue, and in Ipomu'a, morning-glory, and 

 Brunella, violet followed by pink ! 



Again, while bees as a rule visit one kind of flower at a 

 time and then of course those of the same color, if the 

 kind of flower is plentiful, in case it is not they go from 

 one kind to another indiscriminately, as we have seen 

 bumble bees fly from Brunella to Baptisia, from Impatiens 

 to Arctium, Nabalus to Clethra, and Brunella to red Clover. 

 Later in the day they take another sort of flower which they 

 follow, and as the season advances the same bees, or same 

 kind of bees, follow in succession five-sixths of the different 

 flowers as they appear, of whatever color. 



We will notice some of the flowers visited by bees and 

 some of their preferences for certain kinds of flowers, not 

 preferences for mere color. 



PURPLE AND BLUE. 



Brunella and Pontederia are visited mainly by bumble 

 bees, some honey bees and butterflies ; these also visit 

 Viola, Iris, Lupinus, Delphinium, Aconitum, Mentha, 



