PAMMEI. — POLLINATION OF PHLOMIS TUBEROSA. 249 



specimen of Apis continually trying new flowers o{ Xepeta Glecho- 

 ma (89 a) till one was found where Bombus terrestris had perfo- 

 rated the flower. It is not always an easy matter to tell whether 

 an insect makes the perforations, especially when these are in the 

 form of longitudinal slits, or whether it is merely looking for the 

 perforations of some other insect. In flowers where the tissue is 

 firm, these slits close over quite eflectively, and, as I have con- 

 vinced myself in the case of Symphytum and Phlomis, are not rea- 

 dily seen. While the honey-bee makes at most few perforations, 

 Miiller records many cases in which it uses perforations made by 

 other insects; but it is sufficient here to refer to his works for 

 these. 



In this country, Meehan believes that Apis perforates the flow- 

 ers of Salvia splendens. Delpino, Comes, and a few other ob- 

 servers, also state that the honey-bee perforates corollas. I think, 

 however, that generally honey-bees only use the perforations 

 made by other insects, and they are certainly quick to perceive 

 these perforations. Miiller records the most interesting case of 

 Salvia Sclarea (93), in which the tube of the corolla is so long 

 that the honey-bee is not able to get the nectar in a normal way. 

 It made several attempts, but did not try to perforate the corollas. 

 When, finally, it found several in which the corollas had just 

 loosened, it immediately began to sip the little drops of nectar 

 which still remained attached to the base of the corolla. It is 

 certainly a clear case, for the insect tried in every way to get nec- 

 tar, except by perforating the corolla.* 



From observations thus far published, Bombus is the most fre- 

 quent perforator of flowers. In Germany, Bombus hortorum, 

 B. senilis, and B. fragans never perforate flowers. Their tongues 

 measure respectively: worker, iS-i9mm., 11-15 mm., 15 mm. 

 They pollinate such flowers as Dicentra spectabilis. Some 

 of the species which perforate flowers, and the length of their 



* In this connection it is interesting to refer to Prof. Riley's Entomological Report to 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1S85, P- 333- Under his direction Mr. X. W. McLain 

 made some careful experiments to determine whether, as has been claimed, honey-bees 

 puncture grapes and other fruits in order to get sugar, but found that even when brought to 

 the test of hunger they made no attempts to grasp the cuticle of the berries with their 

 mandibles or claws. When the grapes burst from over-ripeness, or whenever the exterior 

 part was exposed, they eagerly sucked the juices, yet they did not even then penetrate the 

 delicate film surrounding the pulp. 



