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flower buds in various stages of growth, but none of the blossoms had 
yet opened. In fact, the first flowers opened only on the morning of 
the 25th April. By the 27th, all the estates in Yereaud were in fall 
bloom and presented a sight of wondrous beauty with their exuberant 
masses of pure white sweet-scented flowers. Flowers generally faded 
away on the 4th day, so that by the lst May most of the blossoms had 
either dropped down or faded, but scattered bushes that had burst into 
blossom later still had fresh flowers on the 2nd and 3rd May. 
«2, Observations as to flower-visiting insects were made on and off 
between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m, during daytime and as far as possible, speci- 
mens of insects noted were collected. On two nights, I examined coffee 
bushes between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. with the aid of a lantern, but though 
I found a few moths flying about, I was unable to ascertain whether 
they came to flowers at all, as, disturbed by the brightness of the light, 
they either came to it or flew away. My observations, therefore, as 
regards the night-side of the question are scanty. 
“3. The following were the flower-visiting insects that I noted at 
Yercaud :— 
Hymenoptera :-— 
(i) Bees :—(1) Apis indica—the most common of the bees at 
Yercaud, It was found on flowers from 6 a.m. up to nearly 6-30 P.M. 
It was the only bee that was found at allin plenty. It was, however, 
not present in sufficiently large numbers, there being generally not 
more than 2 or 8 on the average on each bush at a time. This bee was 
at times found confining its attention to nectar and at other times 
merely gathering pollen. 
(2) Apis dorsata.—(The Rock Kee). This was rather scarce 
at Yercaud. on coffee flowers. I did not notice it at all in some estates 
and where present it was not plentiful. It was most active at midday. 
(8) Apis florea : found in small numbers on most estates, but is 
not so scarce as Apis dorsata. Like Apis mdica, this bee was noted 
confining its attention at times to nectar alone and at other times 
busying itself solely with pollen-gathering, every anther being 
regularly scraped up for the purpose, 
(4) Halictus sp.—Noted only on one occasion. It was 
collected while gathering pollen on a coffee flower. 
(5) Ceratina sp.—Only two instances of this bee visiting coffee 
flowers were noted. It was common, however, on certain small labiate 
plants in open places. 
(6) Anthophora sp. found visiting coffee on only one or two 
occasions. Specimens could not be secured. 
(7) Xylocopa tenuiscapa.—'\he Large Black Bee or the Carpenter 
Bee: fairly common—though not, by any means, even ds numerous as 
Apis dorsata at Yercaud. Being a big insect and of active habits, it 
visits a larger number of flowers at a time than any of the Honey-bees. 
It is, however, not a sysiematic worker; forafter visiting flowers on a 
few branches of a bush it rushes off to another situated at a distance 
whereas the fl oney-bees (especially Apis indica) do not, as arule, leave 
any flowers unvisited before departing for the next bush. : 
(11) Wasps.—I observed two instances where (1) a Sceliphron 
sp. and (2) another Sphegid visited coffee flowers and as far as I could 
observe, went in for the nectar, but 1 was unable to catch them. 
