1 26 On Flowers and Insects. 



ever, was in autumn ; in summer they make over- 

 time, and work on till late in the evening. 



8. I have already mentioned some experiments 

 which show clearly that bees can distinguish colours. 

 They appear fortunately to prefer the same colours 

 as we do. On the contrary, flowers of a livid, 

 yellow, or fleshy colour are most attractive to flies ; 

 and moreover, while bees are attracted by odours 

 which are also agreeable to us, flies, as might 

 naturally be expected from the habits of their 

 larvae, prefer some which to us seem anything but 

 pleasant. 



not waste time by examining the others on the same plant. Mr. 

 Darwin watched carefully certain flowers, and satisfied himself that 

 each one was visited by bees at least thirty times in a day. The 

 result is, that even where flowers are very numerous as, for in- 

 stance, on heathy plains and in clover fields every one is visited 

 during the day. Mr. Darwin carefully examined a large number 

 of flowers in such cases, and found that every single one had been 

 visited by bees. 



