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part u.] ‘THE INSECTS WHICH VISIT FLOWERS. 5D 
vary in length, closeness, and colour in different species, but are 
always smooth, without trace of feathery branching. This 
abdominal collecting apparatus differs also in its action from the 
collecting apparatus on the legs of the other forms; in the latter, 
the tarsal brushes (formed of smooth stiff bristles) sweep the 
pollen into the tufts of feathery hairs; in the present case, the 
collecting apparatus consists of a great brush of feathery airs, 
which themselves sweep up the pollen. More than nine-tenths of 
the flowers visited by bees with abdominal brushes are such as are 
adapted to dust the ventral surface of the bee with pollen (Zehium, 
Papilionacee, Composite, etc.) without any action of the tarsal 
brushes. Bees with abdominal brushes may be seen, for instance, 
upon a composite flower, thrusting their tongues quickly into 
one floret after another, and at the same time turning round 
bodily so as to force the pollen which lies free on the surface of 
Fic. 16.—Abdominal collecting apparatus. 
1.—Abdomen of Osmia spinulosa, K. Ventral view. (x 7.) 
2.—Lateral view of the same. (x 7.) 
the capitulum between the hairs of the brush. The brush is quite 
full after visits to a few capitula. I have, for instance, very often 
seen Megachile lagopoda, K., acting in this manner on Onopordum 
acanthium, and Osmia spinulosa, K., on Carduus acanthoides. More 
rarely, bees with abdominal brushes may be seen feeding on flowers 
whose pollen gets applied to their backs; in such cases, the 
bee makes use of its tarsal brushes to sweep off the pollen 
from the parts where it has fallen into the abdominal brushes. 
I have seen Anthidiwm manicatum acting in this manner on flowers 
of Ballota nigra. 
The latter mode of getting pollen is adopted only exceptionally 
by bees with abdominal brushes; the plan of sweeping it up directly 
as their usual method, and is quicker and more productive than 
the method used by bees whose collecting apparatus is on their 
legs. There can be little doubt therefore that the bees with 
