POLLINATION OF THE BRITISH PRIMULAS. 113 
About 15 April 1903, near Church Stretton, in Shropshire, he watched 
two large patches of Primroses, growing in a fairly-sheltered position, on the 
sides of a narrow lane, staying for from half-an-hour to an hour, between 11 a.m. 
and Lp.M., on eight successive days. Further, on two of these days, he 
made observations at two other stations also. The weather was unfavourable 
throughout, being windy and cold ; and he remarks on the extent to which 
the number of insects upon the wing on any particular day depended on the 
temperature. The combined result of all his observations was as follows :— 
HYMENOPTERA. 
Bombus terrestris, 7 individuals seen *; very inconstant, visiting other flowers 
(Leontodon, Salix, Viola, and Potentilla Fragariastrum) more often than 
Primrose. 
Anthophora acervorum (L.)(=pilipes F.) f, 9 and d , 12 individuals seen ; more 
constant to the Primrose. 
Apis mellifica L., 3 individuals seen; appeared on warm days only and was 
unable, apparently, to reach the nectar. 
Andrena gwynana K., numerous individuals seen; gathered pollen greedily 
from short-styled flowers. 
DIPTERA. 
Bombylius major (L.), 20 individuals seen ; the most active visitor, especially 
on warm days. 
At the beginning of April 1904, the Professor continued his observations 
at another locality in North Staffordshire ; but, though he watched on three 
mornings, he saw no insects at work, except Bombylius—doubtless because 
the weather was again cold. 
Miss Mary Armitt, on 19 April 1904, “a thoroughly summer-like day,” 
watched Primrosesf near the foot of Nab Scar, Westmorland, and saw 
Bombylius major busy among them, One visited 2 short-styled flowers 
on one plant, then 2 long-styled flowers on another plant. Another visited 
flowers on a short-styled plant, then others on a long-styled plant. On a 
later day, another visited 10 flowers—1 on one plant, 4 on a second, 3 on 
a third, and 2 on the fourth. 
Between 1911 and 1919, Mr. A. A. Dallman made a number of very 
careful observations, many of them by night, at several places in North 
Wales, and he received help from Miss E. Bray, of Hailsham, in East 
Sussex, who made other observations, all of them by day, in her district, 
Between them, they observed and record § a considerable number of insect 
and other visitors to the Primrose, and these were all identified carefully by 
competent authorities. 
` * The number of visits paid by each of the various insects is not recorded. 
+ Recorded originally, in error, as À. furcata. 
f See New Phytologist, iii, (1904), p. 170, 
8 Journ. of Botany, lix. (1921), pp. 316-322 & 397-345. 
LINN. JOURN.— BOTANY, VOL. XLVI. I 
