070 



THE AMEBIC AN NATURALIST [Vol. XLV 



deep reddish purple. In connection with previous obser- 

 vations it was noted that those older blossoms appeared 

 to possess little attractiveness for bees. The test was 

 designed to reveal any differences which might serve to 

 indicate to the bees that the purple blossom had passed 

 the stage of usefulness to them. Although bees may in 

 their flight indicate that the red blossom has been per- 

 ceived, the inspections are usually far briefer than with 

 the newly open blossoms of the same day. Barely does a 

 bee noticeably check its flight to hover over the red 

 blossoms in the careful manner that it usually inspects 

 those newly opened blossoms which are unchanged in 

 color. The marked difference in color or some peculiarity 

 of odor seems to inform the bees that an old blossom has 

 nothing to offer them, since the pollen has been scattered 

 and nectar is no longer secreted. 



Experiment No. 23.— July 30. Time of observation 

 one half hour, from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. Three blossoms 

 are arranged in the same row in equally exposed posi- 

 tions, as in previous experiments. 



(a) Control. Normal upland cotton blossom pinned 

 in position. 



(b) Control. Normal upland cotton blossom pinned 

 in position. 



(c) Normal upland cotton blossoms with a drop or 

 two of honey at base of petals within. 



1 



I 















fir 



i i 













if ji 

















The presence of a small quantity of honey in the 

 blossom at (c) has not noticeably increased the number 

 of entrances into it. 



