071 Flower 'Haunting Diptera. 



123 



It thus appeal's that, though BomJjus muscoruni is far 

 more red-loving than the higher Diptera, this is by no 

 means the ease for the smaller bees. There are in fact 

 only four of the sixteen Diptera quoted, which are 

 fonder of white flowers than Andrena alhicans and 

 Allantus nothi. The fact that blue and purple flowers, 

 which are held by Miiller and others to be particularly 

 adapted to bees, and almost entirely fertilised by them, 

 are very frequently visited by these Diptera, is particularly 

 important. Empis hilineata, Platychirus alhimanus and 



^' Miller gives for flies 67*9 per cent, white and yellow flowers 

 and 303 per cent, of red and blue ; for higher bees 36*6 per cent, 

 white and 63'3 per cent, red and blue, cf. 29 per cent, white and 

 71 per cent, red and blue in this table ; for small bees 63'8 

 per cent, white and 36'2 per cent, red or blue ; while here it 

 is 83 per cent, white and 17 per cent. red. '"Alpenblumen," 1881, 

 p. 512. 



