THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
pollen. The nearest hive of bees is about a quarter of a 
mile away, and the mystery still is how the bees at that dis- 
tance knew of the flowers. To the human sense of smell the 
flowers have no odor, but it may be just possible that they 
are as fragrant to the bees as the lilac, locust or buck-wheat 
is to us. The bee has not remarkably' good eye-sight, and 
it does not appear that the w^andering bee would have so 
soon discovered the flowers had he been obliged to depend 
upon sight alone. 
Chinese Soap-berries. — Our Kentucky coffee-tree 
( Gyinuodadiis Ccinmlcnsis) has, contrary to the statement 
in some botanical works, several relatives in China, some of 
which are used for washing purposes. The seeds and pods 
are the parts used. It is known that our own tree has 
saponin in the bark and it may well be questioned whether 
the seeds do not contain sai>onin also. The name of coffee- 
tree is said to be applied to this species because in the early 
days it was used as a substitute for coffee, but if the seeds 
contain saponin such use may well be doubted. Can any 
of our readers add anything to the solution of this puzzle? 
Do the seeds really contain saponin? Will someone in the 
region inhabited by the tree investigate and report? 
Ax AviAx Herborizer.— The Australian bower bird 
has become famous for its habit of constructing play-houses, 
which it ornaments with various bright objects, but accord- 
ing to the Oologisf our own red-shouldered hawk, though 
less renowned, has the some taste for the beautiful. The 
majority of red-shouklered hawks' nests are decorated wath 
fresh leaves and flowers, the inclination for these ornaments 
seeming to increase as the nesting season advances. One 
nest is mentioned by the Oologut that was lined with the 
fresh green leaves of the '1x>x-berry" ( wintergreen ) and 
the surrounding platform concealed beneath a profusion 
