25S TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SClEi\CE. 



larly perforates the flowers of the long-spurred form. Now and 

 then perforations were found on both sides, or they were found on 

 whichever side was most convenient for the insect to get the nec- 

 tar from. When it finds the first long-spurred flower it makes 

 several attempts to get nectar from the throat, but, unsuccessful, 

 bites a hole into the corolla, after which it no longer hesitates 

 about perforating other long-spurred flowers. 



Miiller {(^o d-()i a,in. a) records an interesting case where a 

 female of Bombus mastrucatus obtained nectar from the flowers of 

 Gentiana verna, which is adapted to L^pidoptera, through perfo- 

 rations made in the tube of the corolla. From this plant it flew 

 to Gentiana acaulis, which is adapted to humble-bees; but, so in- 

 tent was this insect on robbing, that it did not seem to notice that 

 it had gone to a difl'erent species, for it began to use the perfora- 

 tions as in G. verna (made most probably by some other B. mas- 

 trucatus). On flying to a third flower of Gentiana acaidiSy which 

 was not perforated, it noticed the bell-shaped corollas which bees 

 of this species had been accustomed to use for so many ages in 

 species of Campanula and the like. Here it entered the flower 

 and made several attempts to get nectar, but without successv 

 came out and flew around for a few seconds, and, as Miiller 

 expresses it, examined the flower, then entered the corolla once 

 more and collected pollen, but soon came out and crawled down 

 the side, where it made some perforations in order to get the nec- 

 tar. This operation was repeated on several flowers ; but after 

 this, having learned how to get at the nectar, it did so in a regular 

 and methodic way, first collecting the available pollen. 



Miiller (91 iii. b) records another interesting case where a fe- 

 male of Bombus terrestris entered a flower of Vicia fabu in the 

 normal way. Being unable to get the nectar, the insect forced 

 its head imder the banner and stretched its tongue as much as 

 possible, but, being still unable to reach the nectar, it withdrew 

 its head from the flower, and after cleaning its tongue with its 

 forelegs flew to another flower, where the same performances 

 were repeated ; but in the fourth she bit a hole in the corolla 

 above the calyx. The same behavior was noticed on the flowers 

 of Primula elatior (Say/ 91 iii. c), and in the case of the honey- 

 bee on the flowers o{ Nepeia Glechoma {Szg, 91 iii.) 



