170 TtlE ZOOLOGIST. 



notice of anyone who may be on the balcony. My attention 

 was first drawn to them by observing the male bird fly, every now 

 and then, to one of the flowers, creep along its stem, and peck at 

 the calyx. Examining the flower to see the meaning of this 

 proceeding, I found that, in almost every instance, the two upper 

 segments had a small piece bitten out of them, while in some 

 cases the calyx segment was torn right across. 



On examining a large series of flowers, by removing the calyx 

 it appeared that under each of the two upper segments there is a 

 single drop of slightly sweet and sticky watery fluid — how 

 secreted I could not determine, as there is no semblance of a 

 nectary. The fluid is found under none of the other segments, 

 nor is it present in flowers which grow low down and in the 

 shade, and only rarely on the pink blossoms of a variety which 

 grows near. The calyx of these flowers is not bitten ; but an 

 occasional scarlet flower, which occurs on the pink variety, has 

 always holes in the calyx. 



The object of making the holes is, as it would seem, not to 

 get at the liquid for the purpose of drinking it, but in order to 

 attract insects to serve as prey. Several times I have observed 

 the bird seize an insect in the act of visiting the pierced calyx, 

 which after being bitten shows a moist spot. When this dries 

 up I have observed the bird tear the calyx segment across, when 

 a little fresh moisture exudes ; but this is never done until the 

 two small holes have dried up. After prolonged watching I could 

 not find that more than two kinds of insects visited the calyx, 

 and these — one a small bee and the other a small wasp — flew 

 directly to the calyx without visiting the flower. No flies of any 

 kind came, and no other insect except an ant, which evidently 

 came to visit a few Aphides which lived on the calyx. 



I could not discover that any insect visited the flower except 

 a large humble bee, and this always went straight to the flower 

 itself, and never attempted the calyx. It was able, apparently, 

 to reach the fluid betwixt the petals which have an opening at 

 their base, through which the proboscis can readily be passed 

 into the calyx. 



All the points which I have described were observed repeat- 

 edly, not only with the naked eye, but also with a binocular glass, 

 and I do not think it possible that I can be mistaken in any one 

 of them. 



