466 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. IX, No. 5, 



Genitalia: Last ventral segment of female rather short; hind border 

 roughly toothed ; pygofer rather long, bristled near the tip. Male valve 

 rounded behind, plates short about half as long as pygofer; borders 

 curved; a few bristles near margin; pygofers tapered, strongly bristled. 



23 specimens, 7 females and 16 males collected at Los Amates, 

 Guatemala, Jan. 17, 1905, by Professor J. S. Hine. 

 Phlepsius costomaculatus Van. D. 



Allygiis costomaculatus Van Duzee, Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 V. 207. 

 Three specimens, Puerto Barrios, Mazatenango, Feb. 3d. 

 It has been known heretofore from Texas and Florida. 



Acinopterus acuminatus Van D. 



Three specimens taken at Los Amates in January and 

 February. 



REMOVAL OF THE SHOWY PARTS OF FLOWERS AS 

 AFFECTING FRUIT AND SEED PRODUCTION. 



Arthur H. McCray. 



OBJECT OF EXPERIMENT. 



In this experiment it was attempted to determine the effect 

 of the cutting away and removing entirely of the showy parts of 

 blossoms on the production of fruit and its consequent seed. 

 As will be seen in the great majority of cases, these showy parts 

 will be also enveloping parts, covering, especially in early period 

 of blooming the stamens and pistils and thus affording more or 

 less protection from the elements, to these essential parts of the 

 flower. Those who are familiar with the works of Chas. Darwin, 

 will remember that he devoted much time and study to the polli- 

 nation of flowers and that he embodied the results of his studies 

 in a book entitled: "Cross and Self -Fertilization in the Vege- 

 table Kingdom." One of these extended experiments was the 

 •exclusion of insects from flowers by covering with a netting. 

 All flowers so excluded from insect visits, failed to set fruit. And 

 so it was thought that by removing the large attractive parts of 

 flowers, that insects would perhaps pass such by and hence no 

 fruit would be produced. The experiments recorded below were 

 carried out during the spring and summer of 1907. 



These parts were easily removed by use of either a knife 

 blade pressing it down upon the base of petal or whatever the 

 part might be, and forcing it by a quick stroke from its place, 

 or by a small pair of very fine pointed scissors. In either case 

 care was taken not to unduly injure by mutilation any of the 

 essential parts of the flower. 



