426 THE FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. [PART IIT. 
I have only occasionally seen two common Syrphide, Zristalis 
tenax, L., and Syritta pipiens, L., feeding on the pollen. Darwin 
observed the flower visited by humble-bees. 
The stigma, from its position, must be touched by an insect- 
visitor before the anthers. In many flowers the end of the style 
curves backwards so much as to stand beneath the anthers, in the 
line of fall of the pollen, so that self-fertilisation may in such cases 
occur. Treviranus was therefore not wholly wrong when he 
described the genus Solanum as fertilised by the style curving 
backwards to meet the anthers (742). 
313. Sotanum DutcaMARA, L., is likewise devoid of honey, 
and is at least as scantily visited by insects as S. tuberosum. I 
have seen Rhingia rostrata, L., examining the greenish spots which 
glitter like drops of fluid in the middle of the violet corolla, and 
afterwards stroking the tips of the anthers with its labelle. Here 
S. Dulcamara seems to delude the fly as Parnassia and Lopezia do 
(590, IL, pp. 20-22). 8. Duleamara is also visited by pollen- 
collecting Bombi, and pollen-feeding Syrphidz (609). 
314. SoLANUM NIGRUM, L.—The flowers are devoid of honey, 
but I have repeatedly seen two common Syrphide, Melithreptus 
scriptus, L., and Syritta pipiens, L., feeding on the pollen. Both 
stroked the outer side of the anthers with their labellz from the 
apex downwards as far as the middle of the corolla. Sprengel 
observed bees and humble-bees upon the flowers, I have given a 
further account of the flower in No. 590, III. 
Fic. 144.—Lycium barbarum, L. 
1.—Flower, viewed from the front. 
2.—Ditto, in section. 
a, protecting hairs; st, stigma, 
315. Lycrum BaRBARUM, L. (L. vulgare, Dun.)—Honey is 
secreted in large quantity by the naked ovary, and accumulates in 
the base of the tube, which is 7 to 10 mm. long, The corolla 
