GRAMINEAE 517 



G. vilfoidea T. Fries, G. Vahliana T. Fries, G. Kjellmanni Lange, Phippsia algida 

 R. Br. (= Catabrosa algida Fries), Catabrosa carcinna 7. Fries, Colpodium latifolium 

 R. Br., Arctophila Malmgreni And., Graphephorum psilosanthum 7^(?«r«. {= Dupontia 

 Fischeri R. Br.), Trisetum subspicatum Beauv., Deschampsia caespitosa Beauv. 

 (= Aira caespitosa Z.) var. borealis Traulw., D. alpina Roem. et Schult. (= Aira alpina 

 Z.), Calamagrostis stricta Harim., Alopecurus alpinus Svi., Hierochlog alpina Roem. 

 et Schult. 



Vanhoffen (Abromeit, ' Bot. Ergeb. von Drygalski's Gronlandsexped.,' pp. 95- 

 105) observed the following in Greenland from June to August, flowering and mostly 

 fruiting. — Elymus arenarius Z. vars. fi. villosus E. Mey. and y. compositus nov. var., 

 Alopecurus alpinus Sm., A. geniculatus Z. (= A. fulvus Sm)), Hierochloe alpina 

 Roem. et Schult., Agrostis rubra Z., Deyexxia sylvatica Kuntk (= Calamagrostis 

 purpurascens 7?. Br), Calamagrostis stricta Hartm. var. /3. borealis Laestad., Trisetum 

 subspicatum Beauv., Colpodium latifolium R. Br., Glyceria Borreri Bab. (perhaps 

 introduced), G. vaginata Lange, G. maritima Mert. et Koch, G. vilfoidea T. Fries, 

 Poa abbreviata R. Br., P. alpina Z., P. pratensis Z., P. flexuosa Muhl., Festuca 

 ovina Z. subsp. borealis Lange and vars. /8. tenuifolia Lange (?) and y. alpina Koch, 

 F. rubra Z. var. ^. arenaria Rink. 



Visitors. — Insect-visits to the flowering grasses may be occasionally observed, 

 as already stated. The hover-fly Melanostoma mellina Z., especially, is fond of 

 seeking out Molinia caerulea Moench, and other anemophilous flowers, in order to 

 devour their pollen. 



The secretion of the fluid so eagerly sought by flies may be undoubtedly traced 

 to Sphacelia segetum, the conidial stage of Claviceps purpurea, which forms the 

 so-called ' ergots ' on cereals and other grasses. Fly visitors convey this disease to 

 healthy stocks of Ammophila in flying from one plant to another. It is perhaps also 

 possible that Sprengel was misled into the opinion quoted above by the presence of 

 this so-called ' honey-dew ' in the flowers of grasses examined by him. 



The following were recorded by the observers, and for the localities stated. — 



Knuth (Kiel and the North Frisian Isl., ' Bliitenbesucher,' I, p. 9), several 

 individuals of the hover-fly Melanostoma mellina Z., on Alopecurus pratensis Z., 

 Phleum pratense Z., and Anthoxanthum odoratum Z. : (dunes of Helgoland) — 

 a beetle (Psilothrix cyaneus Oliv.), a hover-fly (Syrphus arcuatus Fall., freq., po-dvg.), 

 and 5 Muscids — i. CalHphora erythrocephala Mg., very freq., po-dvg. and licking up 

 a sweetish fluid present on the spikes"; 2. C. vomitoria Z. (.?), do. ; 3. Lucilia caesar Z., 

 do.; 4. Coelopa frigida Fall., in great numbers, po-dvg.; 5. Fucellia fucorum 

 Fall., do. Von Fricken (Arnsberg), the Phalacrid beetle Phalacrus corruscus Payk. 

 MacLeod (Ghent), on Secale cereale Z. and Agropyrum repens Beauv., the Muscid 

 Spilogaster duplicata Mg., very freq., po-dvg. Herm. Miiller (Westphalia, ' Fertilisa- 

 tion,' p. 568, ' Weit. Beob.,' I, p. 292), the hover-fly Melanostoma mellina Z. on 

 Alopecurus pratensis Z., Phleum pratense Z., Anthoxanthum odoratum Z., and 

 (Fichtelgebirge) Agrostis alba Z. ; (Westphalia, ' Weit. Beob.,' I, p. 292), on Bromus 

 mollis Z., 4 or 5 individuals of the beetle Leptura livida F. : after flying in long 

 curves, as it often does before settling on a flower, this insect settled on a flowering 

 spike from which the yellow stamens hung out, crept rapidly above the inflorescence, 

 moving its jaws, but taking no notice of the anthers ; after visiting almost all the 

 spikelets it flew away to another plant and repeated the performance : (Thuringia, 

 loc. cit.), the beetle Malachius viridis F., Brachypodium pinnatum Beauv., obviously 

 attracted by the golden yellow anthers, and dvg. both anthers and pollen. 



