31 



ing around the flowers and watching these, I saw that 

 they wf re working upon the blossoms of this plant. 



One of them poised itself above a flower and in- 

 serted its proboscis in the dimple formed by the over- 

 lapping plaits, and by dint of considerable exertion and 

 wriggling and twisting about, it was able to force the 

 corolla open and crawl in until it reached the nectar 

 which is found at the base of the tube. It remained 

 thus partly in the flower for four or five seconds, then 

 backed out and flew to another blossom. This opera- 

 tion was repeated many times, for I watched the same 

 bee enter fifteen or twenty flowers and the others were 

 also working away at the same time. They usually 

 crawled in until about half inside, and while in this 

 position would often kick and twist about. All of the 

 insects' strength was required to force some of the 

 flowers, and the ones which were immature and hence 

 not ready for fertilization they were unable to enter at 

 all, although they often attempted it. 



On October 4, I examined the same patch and 

 found nearly every capsule full of perfect seeds. 



ATAVISM IN CITRULLUS VULGARIS. 



J. H. SCHAFFNER, M. A. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



In 1895, a water-melon vine was observed which 

 had leaves without the characteristic, lobed appear- 

 ance, the border being only moderately undulate. The 

 seed from this individual was planted and the same 

 peculiarity was transmitted and re-appeared for three 

 years. The new variety with entire leaves is re- 

 garded as a good example of atavism, or reversion to 

 the original type, as is indicated by the entire cotyl- 

 edons of the seedlings. 



