ANIMALS AND PLANTS 249 
dark. A flowering vine of white honeysuckle, or a bush 
of the pale yellow evening primrose, may often be seen 
at dusk to be swarming with great sphinx moths, which, 
poised before the flowers like humming-birds, probe the 
deep, narrow trumpets with their long tongues. Pass- 
ing from flower to flower in their search for honey, 
cross-pollination is almost certain to be effected. 
While the chief agents in the pollination of flowers 
are insects, especially butterflies and bees, other ani- 
mals also may be of importance in this connection. It 
is said that snails have been observed to convey pollen 
from the flowers of some aroids, but next to insects it 
is birds which play the most important réle, especially 
the peculiar American group of humming-birds, which 
are preéminently flower visitors. Although in north- 
eastern America there is but a single humming-bird, 
the little ruby-throat, several of the native flowers seem 
to have adapted themselves especially to its visits. 
Among the most striking of these humming-bird flow- 
ers, are the coral honeysuckle, cardinal flower, trumpet- 
creeper, crimson balm (Monarda), and wild.columbine. 
All of these have deep, narrow nectaries, and scarlet 
is the predominant color. Of the garden flowers, 
which are especial favorites of the humming-birds, 
may be mentioned the various species of Canna, fuch- 
sia, nasturtium (Tropeolum), and the scarlet Mexi- 
ean sage. In California the fuchsia-like Zauschneria 
and the crimson-flowered currant (Ribes speciosum), as 
well as a number of other bright red flowers, are eagerly 
sought by the native humming-birds. It will be noted 
that nearly all these flowers are vivid red, a color which 
appears to be especially attractive to these little birds. 
