118 Mr. G. F. Scott-ElHot's notes 



I must, however, state at once that I have no pre- 

 tensions to be an entomologist, and that in the deter- 

 mination of the insects 1 have not attempted any naming 

 on niy own part, but have trusted entirely to the 

 kindness and skill of Mr. R. Service and Mr. E. 

 Brunetti. The flowers, whose visitors have been caught 

 by myself or my friends the Misses Hannay and Taylor 

 and Mr. Armstrong, are nearly 300 in number, and in 

 the work alluded to, the insects are put in their proper 

 place after the locality of each species.* I found, how- 

 ever, as I proceeded with the catching of insect visitors, 

 several very great difficulties. One is the want of any 

 handy book of English Diptera by which one could tell 

 the particular group of Diptera at a glance when in the 

 field. I do not see why such a book should not be very 

 easily produced by some of the members of the Entomo- 

 logical Society. About five plates ought to enable one 

 to tell at once the group (AsilidR% Bombylidie, Gunopida?, 

 Dolichopida?, Empidiv, LeptidcV, MiiscidcV, Stratiomyidx, 

 Syrphida', etc. ; there are twenty groups or families 

 given in Midler's " Fertilisation of Plants," p. 641. The 

 number of species given in this work is 253, so that a 

 short account and clavis of each genus and of the 

 species in c.;/., Syrphidw and Boinhylidx would not make 

 a book of more than a hundred pages. 



The next difficulty was insuperable. It is not possible 

 to be at the side of every flower in the flora for every 

 hour in the day, during the whole time that it is in 

 bloom, for obvious reasons. I question if it is possible 

 to do in a thorough manner, more than six species in a 

 season. Hence the visitors of these oOO flowers are 

 simply the usual common forms. 



The first interesting point which I noticed with regard 

 to both Diptera and Hymenoptera was that they are 

 extraordinarily quick to see even the slightest motion. 

 By remaining perfectly still one can observe the shyest 

 Syrphid at work, but a very slight gesture of the hand 

 is sufficient to send it ofl" like a flash, and unless one 

 remains very still there is no chance of getting the 

 majority of visitors. 



The next point, which can only be proved by observa- 



■'-■ A list of insects with the flowers which they visit is placed 

 at the end of this paper. 



