The Ruby-throat's Caterers 



Before the coming of the Europeans to these 

 shores with their imported trees, vines, shrubbery 

 and flowering plants, what flowers in our area 

 of Nature's garden undertook 

 to feed the rubv-throat ? 



j 



It is true that almost any 

 blossom which secretes nec- 

 tar could be robbed by this little 

 sprite. Nature always rewards 

 the more highly developed of her 

 struggling children by making 

 the forms beneath them tributary 

 to them. "All things are yours " 

 was said to man alone. On such 

 flowers as are easily drained by the mob of bees, 

 wasps, moths and butterflies, the humming-bird 

 wastes little time. Flowers like Jack-in-the-pulpit 

 avowedly cater to gnats. Some, like the carrion- 

 scented trillium allure flesh flies. The iris, gentian 

 and many another blue or purple flower charm the 

 more highly specialized bees by wearing what Sir 

 John Lubbock proved to be their favourite colour. 

 Butterflies delight in bright pinks especially, 

 although there are few exclusive butterfly flowers. 

 The night-flying moths come to the wooing of the 

 twining white honeysuckle, tobacco plant, lily, 

 moon-flower, evening primrose and a host of other 

 white or yellow charmers, easily seen in the gloam- 

 ing when brighter hues have faded into the prevail- 

 ing darkness, or detected from afar by their perfume. 

 And so, if we could go through the entire list of 

 flowers in our gardens and those growing wild, we 

 should find that each is deliberately designed to 



