329 



of the proboscis had lost much of their pollen by contact with many 

 viscid stigmas. The stigmas of nearly all the flowers on the spike had 

 pollen sticking to them. 



Soon after this, I took a Papillo Asterias, with a number of poUinia 

 attached to its proboscis. 



Auc/. 10. — While watching a number of plants of P. psycodes, a 

 Sesia — this time it proved to be S. difhnis Boisd. — came to them, and 

 sucked the nectar from every open flower on one spike : it then flew 

 to another plant, and visited all its flowers in the same way. As the 

 moth withdrew its proboscis from each flower, I could plainly see the 

 pollinium pulled from the anther-cell. Several times both pollinia were 

 taken from one flower, one pollinium sticking to the proboscis a little 

 above the other. When caught, this moth had about twenty pollinia 

 attached to its proboscis in the same manner as in the last instance. 



Both of these moths and the Papilio had their probosces so encum- 

 bered with the pollinia, that it was impossible for them to be coiled up 

 between their palpi. 



The shortness of the time occupied in the depression of the pollinia 

 in this species, and the time that the insects remained at one plant, 

 would seem to indicate that the upper flowers on the spike, at least, 

 were fertilized by pollen from the same plant. 



I have frequently seen the orthopterous insect Phaneroptera curvi- 

 cauda Serv. feeding upon the flowers of this orchid ; but could not 

 find that they ever effected its fertilization in any way, although pol- 

 linia were several times found attached to its feet. 



Mr. Alexander Agassiz stated that he had noticed, in 

 watching oviv sea-urchins, that the excrement ejected from 

 the anal opening upon the upper surface of the body moved 

 down the sides by regulai* paths until it dropped. Exami- 

 nation showed that this effect was produced by the action of 

 the inter-ambulacral pedicillarise, whose office it seemed to be 

 to perform this function : none of the ejectamenta were ever 

 seen upon the ambulacral spaces, except occasionally at the 

 edge; in which case, constant exertion seemed to be made to 

 free these parts of such a burdenl 



Dr. B. Joy Jeffries, in alluding to the two albino girls 

 that were present at the last meeting of the Society, stated 

 that they were the same that were exhibited at the Aquarial 

 Gardens in the spring of 1860. They were also then shown 

 to the Society, and some account of them was given by Dr. 



