54 THE BOOK OF THE DAFFODIL 



A monograph on this subject, published in Haarlem 

 in 1885 by Dt J. Ritzema Bos, is the standard authority, 

 but further investigations have been made more recently. 

 For the present state of our knowledge on the subject, 

 the reader is referred to two most valuable notes, by 

 that well-known horticulturist and Daffodil authority, 

 the Rev. W. Wilks, which appeared in the Journals of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society for 1901 and 1902 (vol. 

 26, page 249, and vol. 27, page 181). For the benefit 

 of those readers who have not yet secured to themselves 

 the advantages of becoming Fellows of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, some of the information contained 

 in these notes, and a few extracts from them, are now 

 given. 



In general appearance the Narcissus-fly is not unlike 

 a small black " bumble-bee," though, when it settles in 

 the sun, it will often be seen to have brown, yellow, and 

 sometimes red or white markings upon it. It is very 

 hairy, but may be easily distinguished from the " bumble- 

 bee" by its having only two wings, and being narrower 

 in form. It is scarcely half an inch long, and about 

 an inch across the wings when open. It may be distin- 

 guished from the common drone-fly by its size ; it is 

 distinctly smaller, and also has a stout spine at the tip of 

 the middle joint of the hind leg. 



It may be identified in the garden by two well-marked 

 characteristics, which, taken together, make it difficult 

 to mistake. Its manner of flight is most marked, very 

 much like that of the drone-bee or the humming-bird 

 hawk-moth. Mr Wilks says : " they hover over the 

 Daffodil beds, moving their wings so swiftly that they 

 do not seem to work them at all, and, if undisturbed, they 

 will poise themselves thus for three or more minutes at 

 a time, without change of place or position. Then 

 suddenly they dart to right or left (hardly ever, I think, 

 straight forward) with lightning speed, too quickly for 



