414 ANGIOSPERMAEDICOTYLEDONES 



insects, however, do not allow themselves to be deceived by this, but the stupider 

 ones (flies and beetles) are repeatedly attracted, and effect cross-pollination as they seek 

 out the scanty nectar. The smaller flies, however, usually go round and round the 

 flower, licking the nectar without touching either pollen or stigma, and therefore render 

 no service to the flower. But larger insects mostly settle upon the middle of the 

 flower to suck, turning round from one nectary to another, so that in younger 

 blossoms they cover their under-side with pollen, which they transfer to the stigmas 

 of older ones 1 . 



The flowers are very small (25-13 mm. in diameter) in the Alps, and possess 

 only three-lobed stigmas (cf. Fig. 134), though elsewhere there are four-lobed ones. 

 In the Scandinavian highlands, according to Lindman, the flowers are also often 

 very small, sometimes not more than 11 mm. in diameter. They are fragrant, 

 smelling like honey. 



During September, 1896, I made a noteworthy observation on flowers placed 

 in water in a shady part of my room, and which kept fresh for a week. Under 

 these circumstances the buds developed into purely homogamous flowers; all five 

 stamens diverged and turned their dehisced anthers outwards. The stigmas matured 

 simultaneously, so that, the flowers being obliquely placed, pollen could fall upon 

 them, as actually happened in some cases. Flowers kept in a room, therefore, 

 behaved quite differently from those in the open air, confirming in this case the 

 advice of Sprengel ('Entd. Geh.,' p. 22) not to bring flowers from the garden or 

 the fields, but rather to study them among their natural surroundings. 



Visitors. Herm. Miiller (H. M.) and myself (Kn.) have observed the 

 following. 



A. Coleoptera. Coccinellidae: 1. Coccinella conglobata Z., very common, 

 nect-lkg. (H. M.); 2. C. septempunctata Z., do. (H. M., Kn.). B. Diptera. (a) 

 Muscidae'. 3. Aricia sp. (Kn.); 4. Lucilia caesar Z. (Kn.); 5. Pollenia vespillo F, 

 skg. (H. M.) ; 6. Sarcophaga carnaria Z. (H. M., Kn.) ; 7. Smaller Muscidae (H. M.). 

 (6) Syrphidae : all skg. : 8. Eristalis arbustorum Z. (H. M., Kn.) ; 9. E. nemorum Z. 

 (H. M., Kn.); 10. E. pertinax Z. (Kn.); n. E. tenax Z. (Kn.); 12. Helophilus 

 floreus Z., freq. (H.M.); 13. H. pendulus Z., especially freq. (Kn.) ; 14. Melanostoma 

 mellina Z. (H. M., Kn.); 15. Melithreptus menthastri Z. (H. M.); 16. M. scriptus Z. 

 (H. M.); 17. M. taeniatus Mg. (H. M., Kn.); 18. Syritta pipiens Z., freq. (H. M., 

 Kn.) ; 19. Syrphus balteatus Deg., very common, now and then po-dvg. (H. M., Kn.); 

 20. S. excisus Zett. (H. M.) ; 21. S. pyrastri Z., freq. (H. M., Kn.); 22. S. ribesii 

 Z., do. (H. M., Kn.). (c) Tipulidae : 23. Tipula oleracea Z. (H. M.). C. Hymeno- 

 ptera. (a) Formicidae : 24. Formica sp. (Kn.). (6) Ichneumonidae : 25. Numerous 

 small species, skg. (H. M.). (c) Sphegtdae: 26. Gorytes campestris Mttll. (H. M.) ; 

 27. Pompilius viaticusZ. (H. M.). (d) Tenthredinidae : 28. Tenthredo sp., skg. (H. M.). 



1 In my work, 'Blumen und Insekten auf den nordfriesischen Inseln* (189a, pp. 34-5), I have 

 pointed out that the term * deceptive flower ' is not strictly applicable to Parnassia, which secretes at 

 least as much nectar as most Umbelliferae. Though fairly abundant it does not taste sweet to 

 us. That it is, however, palatable to insects attracted by the pronounced honey-odour of the flower, 

 is shown by the zeal with which these visitors seek it out ; and, besides, the numerous lacerations of 

 the ' nectar apparatus ' indicate that boring and sucking take place. Professor Ludwig of Greiz has 

 told me in a letter that he shares my opinion, adding that he could not understand why the blossoms 

 have been described as ' deceptive flowers.' 



