184 Bulletin Wisconsin Natural History Society. [Vol. 8, No. 4. 



of the last named species ; at Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan Co., Wis., 

 at those of Aquilegia canadensis L. (Wild Columbine) ; and at 

 Prescott, Pierce Co., Wis., at those of Oenothera rhombipetala 

 Nutt. (Rhombic Evening-Primrose). 



It will be noted, that in this list only three out of the four flow- 

 ers of our region referred to above as humming-bird flowers are 

 represented, while for the fourth (Castilleja coccinea) no such 

 visits have been seen. 



In the following a brief account of the floral characters of 

 these species is given, and a few observations recorded : 



Castilleja coccinea (L.) Spreng. — The tubular corolla is pale 

 yellow, but the tips of the floral leaves (bracts) show a bright 

 scarlet coloration, and this imparts to the entire inflorescence the 

 conspicuous glowing color that renders the groups of these plants 

 visible from a great distance. Robertson 2 makes the following 

 statements: "The scarlet color and the absence of a landing- 

 place suggest that the flower is adapted to humming-birds, 

 and the ruby-throat (Trochilus colubris h.) is the only visitor I 

 have observed, although bumblebees and butterflies may sometimes 

 occur, since the tube is only about 15 mm. deep." On the prairie, 

 about one and one-half miles east of Corliss, Racine Co., Wis., 

 this plant grows in profusion. On the occasion of four visits to 

 the locality during the blooming period of the scarlet painted cup, 

 viz. : on May 29, 1906, May 19, 1907, May 11, 1910 and May 15. 

 1910, the bumblebee Bombus pennsylvanicus DeG. (female) was 

 seen regularly on these flowers, while not a single humming-bird 

 was in evidence. Since the length of the tongue of this bumblebee 

 amounts to 14 mm., this insect is able to reach the nectar, which 

 is secreted at the bottom of a tube at a depth of 15 mm. From 

 these observations the conclusion may be reached, that in this par- 

 ticular locality the bumblebee Bombus pennsylvanicus figures as 

 the principal pollinator of the scarlet painted cup. 



Aquilegia canadensis L. — Todd 3 and Trelease 4 have recorded 

 the visits of the humming-bird to these flowers in Iowa, and 

 Schneck 5 has done the same for Illinois. Meehan 6 expressed the 



2) Chas. Robertson, Asclepiadaccm to Scrophulariacew; St. Louis Acad. 

 Sc, Vol. V, p. 598. 



3) J. B. Todd, Am. Nat., Vol. XIV (1880), p. 668. 



4) W. Trelease, Am. Nat., Vol. XIV (1880), p. 731. 



5) J. Schneck, Bot. Gaz., Vol. XXXII (1901), p. 305. 



6) T. Meehan, Am. Nat., Vol. XV (1881), pp. 134-135. 



