288 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



On Wednesdaj' morning last, I visited a spot where the plants 

 were growing hixuriantly, affording an interesting field for ohser- 

 vatiou. It was not long before I observed a Bovibus terreslris to 

 alight upon the outer side of the tube of a flower, at a distance of 

 three feet from me. At this distance it did seem as if the bee in 

 order to obtain the honey which the flower secretes, produced a 

 slit into the tube, as Mr. Meehan observed. But the movements 

 of the bee being so quick, and the distance too great to judge 

 accurately, I approached the insect by degrees, until I was within 

 three inches of it, when the whole process became apparent. The 

 bee, however, was so intent upon its labors, as not to take any 

 notice of me. 



The flower is composed of an erect tube, with a natural cleft 

 running along its lateral walls from above, through one-third its 

 entire length, presenting outwardl}^ apparently a mere crease, 

 from the manner in which the compressed margins of the upi)or 

 lip fit into the rolled-in edges of the lateral lobes of the under 

 lip. The upper lip is compressed, arched, and beaked, presenting 

 an aperture at the apex, through which passes a curved pistil, the 

 lower lip is reflexed, consisting of three lobes, one median and 

 two lateral, assuming a platform arrangement. Enclosed within 

 the upper lip are four stamens, didynamous, with their anthers 

 turning backwards, facing each other ventrally. When ripe these 

 authors split upon the inner side, thus giving a fancied resemblance 

 to an oval snuff-box, thrown backwards upon its hinges. Each 

 cell is filled with white pollen grains. 



Now when the bee alights upon the tube, by means of its tnnik, 

 it opens the natural cleft above alluded to, and having thus gained 

 a partial entrance, it would defeat its intention, did not the length 

 of the flower's tube when contrasted with that of the bee's trunk, 

 necessitate the admission of the entire head also. In this ojiera- 

 tion the lips of the flower are pressed ai)art, the margins of the 

 upi)er lip are separated to receive the head, and the pollen grains, 

 already ripe, by the consideral)le motion to which they are sub- 

 jected, becoujc dislodged from their cells, and fall down in a dense 

 shower upon the bee's back and head. Having obtained the 

 coveted sweet, it flies to another flower ui)on a diflerent stalk, as 

 I observed in a score of cases during two days ; l)ut before renewing 

 the preceding operations, stations itself awhile upon the lower 

 lip, its head coming in contact with the stigma of the pistil. Then, 

 Ijy means of the hairs that Hue the inner side of tlie tarsus of each 

 auterior leg, and the constant iiiblting together of the parts com- 

 prising its tropin or instrumenta cibaria, the attached pollen 

 grains are seut flying in every <lirection, sure to adhere to the 

 stigma. 



Whilst observing the above process, I also noticed that after 

 the lips had been pressed apart and were permitted to regain their 

 position, the upper lip, being somewhat elastic, sprung" back to 

 its place with considerable force, sending through the aperture, 



