OF INSECTS WHEN VISITING PLOWEES. 193 



vation 'No. 75, where a specimen oi Pieris brassicce visited flowers 

 of Geranmm wMch were both scarlet and pink ; and in observation 

 No. 48, where a small Humble-Bee visited many times both red 

 and white flowers of the same species of Trifolium. It is just 

 possible that in these cases a sense of smell may have assisted. 



During my observations on Bees I have come to th.e conclu- 

 sion that they have a good sight for short distances, but a poor 

 sight for long distances. Often when visiting small flowers 

 growing many on a plant, I have seen a Bee reach, out and, 

 pulling down the next nearest flower, insert its proboscis. Their 

 general movements whilst actually visiting flowers lead me to 

 the belief that they see precisely what they are doing whilst so 

 engaged. But if a Bee be watched whilst not in the act of visit- 

 ing a flower, its movements will be seen, I think, to be dif- 

 ferent. A Bee seldom flies straigbtly and directly from one 

 flower to another unless the second be very near the first, or so 

 conspicuous that the Bee can hardly help seeing it. On the con- 

 trary, a Bee generally goes prowling about over the leaves, grass, 

 or herbage with an irregular zigzag line of flight until it comes 

 within sight of a flower belonging to the species of which it is in 

 search. Then, too, a Bee which is being watched will generally 

 allow any one to approach it closely, provided this be done steadily 

 and quietly ; but if approached roughly or quickly the Bee flies 

 ofi" at once. 



In opposition, however, to what has been already advanced as 

 to the methodic habits of Bees, I have several facts to bring for- 

 ward. Bees very often do not seem to be at all systematic as to 

 the number of times they visit the same flower, but often visit a 

 flower more than once, as stated in observations JSTos. 3, 21, and 

 43, but especially in No. 10. In No. 20 I even caused several 

 heads of Scabiosa succisa to be twice visited by picking and again 

 presenting them to the Bee. My earlier observations, which were 

 made in the autumn of 1881, seem to show that Bees are less 

 methodic at that time of year than in spcing and summer, when 

 many of my later observations were made, probably because there 

 are fewer flowers then out. It is said that Bees are unable to dis- 

 tinguish between some closely allied species of flowers, such as Ra- 

 nunculus bulbosus, S. acris, and R. repens, and Trifolium fragiferum 

 and T. renews (' Cross- and Self-fertilization of Flowers,' p. 416); 

 and it is very possible that hybrids are thus formed, as in the 

 genera Verbasciim and Primula (' Forms of Flowers,' pp. 55 and 

 75). It is further noticeable in several of my observations (Nos. 



15* 



