86 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
‘commonly visit flowers. However, if the partially closed 
fiowers are examined during the day many of them will 
disclose the hiding place of a tiny white moth, or “miller,” 
scarcely more than half an inch long. It folds its wings 
together in roof-form over its back and rests lengthwise 
along one of the stamens. The whiteness of the insect blend- 
ing with the white-walled floral chamber, all in diffused 
light, gives it ample protection and indeed one must fre- 
quently be very diligent in his examination to be able to 
‘see it at all. As dusk comes on and the flowers begin to 
open and give off their fragrance, the moths become very 
active, flitting about from flower to flower and from plant 
to plant. If, with a small “flashlight” or “bull’s-eye” 
lantern, one takes a position by a plant he will probably 
be able to see the moth climb one of the stamens and with 
its specially constructed mouth parts, scrape all the pollen 
from the anther and roll it into a small pellet. This is 
then carried to a second stamen and the pollen from it is 
added to the pellet—the process being repeated from stamen 
to stamen until a good-sized ball is formed. Then the in- 
sect changes its scene of operation. Leaving the stamen, it - 
goes to the pistil, which it explores very carefully, runnin 
around it and from top > bone. en satisfied wit 
the locality, it turns about till its head is toward the stig- 
matic, or upper end of the pistil, then it slowly backs down- 
ward between two stamens, feeling the surface of the ovary 
very carefully with the tip of its abdomen. When a suit- 
able location is found, usually just below the middle of 
the pistil, it stops the body movement and begins to drill 
with its ovipositor, or egg-depositing device. This is long 
and sharp-pointed, especially adapted for drilling a small, 
_ deep hole into the heart of the pistil, where a single long, 
thread-like, transparent egg is deposited. As soon as this 
is accomplished the moth removes the ovipositor and then 
proceeds up the pistil until its head reaches the stigma. The 
stigma of the Yucca is a triangular well or tube formed 
by the union of the three upright horn-shaped processes of 
the ovary. Securing a firm foothold on these processes, the 
moth proceeds to shave off particles of the pollen pellet and 
with its tongue places these in the stigmatic well or cavity, 
forcing them far down. This done, it backs down the pistil — 
and deposits another egg as before, but at a different point, 
and again going to the stigma it repeats the process of 
_ Seraping off pollen from its pellet and forcing the particles” 
down the cavity. This may be repeated until the stigma 
well is entirely filled. Frequently, however, the moth | 
