122 MR. MILLER CHRISTY ON THE 
it, in spite of his very extensive examination of Primrose flowers *, in which 
he found innumerable Thrips. More extraordinary still, Prof. Weiss failed 
to find any beetles in the Primroses he watched in Shropshire, though he 
looked for them +. Their absence was due, probably (as he himself suggests), 
to the cold weather. - 
In addition to eating pollen, Meligethes picipes also consumes nectar. 
Possibly, indeed, its main object in visiting Primula flowers is to steal their 
neetarf. On many occasions, I have seen single individuals (and often 
several together) right down at the bottom of the corolla-tube, busily 
gathering nectar from the nectaries. To reach these, the beetles have, of 
course, to traverse, in either form, the entire length of the corolla-tube ; and 
this they are able to accomplish. Yet they do not accomplish it without a 
certain amount of difficulty ; for there is not sufficient space between the 
stigma and the side of the corolla-tube in the short-styled flowers or between 
the style and the anthers in the long-styled flowers to allow a beetle to 
squeeze through without some struggling and, consequently, some stretching 
of the corolla-tube or some pressing together of the anthers, or both of 
these. It will be understood readily that, as a result of all this struggling to 
squeeze past or between the anthers, the beetles become thickly dusted with 
pollen all over, in spite of their smooth glossy surface. Under the micro- 
scope, it may be seen adhering abundantly to their antenna, head, thorax, 
body, and legs. They are often, indeed, so profusely covered with it as 
to appear yellow, rather than black. They seem to regard the anthers as 
their natural habitat; for, on several occasions, when I have torn open the 
corolla-tube of a long-styled flower, I have seen the pollen-covered beetles 
inhabiting it run to the anthers and try to hide beneath them—conscious, 
no doubt, that, owing to protective colour-resemblance, they could hide 
safely among them. 
Another point in connection with these small beetles is the fact that they 
fly well and readily take flight, especially when disturbed. I have seen 
them take flight from my hand and also actually from the limb of the corolla. 
They are thus able to pass with ease from plant to plant. Again, if turned 
on their backs, they open their wings and elytra to right themselves, which 
they achieve with ease. 
In addition to Meligethes picipes, certain other minute beetles have been 
observed in Primrose flowers. Thus, in Italy, four species (including two 
other species of Meligethes) have been seen in them $ ; in Germany, Müller 
* See ‘ Primrose and Darwinism’ (1902). 
+ New Phytologist, ii. (1903), p. 104. 
I At all events, the late Mr. Edward Rosling, F.R.M.S., who kindly examined micro- 
scopically for me the contents of the stomachs of several individuals, could find therein no. 
trace of pollen. 
§ See ante, p. 111. 
