AUGUST, 1913.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 263 
MOSQUITOES POLLINATING ORCHIDS. 
A NEW use for mosquitoes is described in a recent issue of Science (xxxvii. 
p- 867) by Mr. John S. Dexter, of Columbia University, U.S.A. He 
remarks :—- 
‘“‘ Early in July, 1912, Miss Ada K. Dietz, who was doing research work 
in plant ecology at the University of Michigan Biological Station at 
Douglas Lake, told me that she had seen in Ree’s Bog a mosquito bearing 
on its head two small yellow masses that looked like pollen. I went to the 
bog and found many mosquitoes there. In a few minutes I had caught 
a half-dozen or more, all of them females, bearing the yellow masses. On 
closer examination these proved to be pollinia of the Orchid Habenaria 
obtusata (Pursh.), which was at one time abundant in the bog and in full 
bloom. Most of the mosquitoes carried one pollinium, some had two or 
three, and one had four pollinia attached to its eyes. 
‘This Orchid is small, green, and inconspicuous, but very similar in the 
structure of its flower to Orchis mascula, described by Darwin in his book 
on the Fertilization of Orchids, and by Miiller in The Fertilization of Flowers. 
Also, the complex process of pollination as described in the last-named 
book (p. 535) for O. mascula might apply almost unchanged for H. obtusata 
with mosquitoes instead of bees for the pollen-bearers. 
“*T gathered a number of the plants and a few mosquitoes that were 
free from pollinia and put them together in a glass aquarium jar. In a few 
days the mosquitoes had removed most of the pollinia from the flowers and 
now bore them on their eyes exactly as had those caught outside. 
**T did not learn the.name of the mosquito concerned. It was probably 
not Culex pipiens, which is mentioned by Miiller as a visitor to the flowers 
of Rhamnus Frangula. So far as I know, this is the only case reported in 
which mosquitoes seem to be of primary importance as agents of 
pollination.” 
ORCHID NOTES AND NEWS. | 
Two meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society will be held at the 
Royal Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, Westminster, during August, 
on the 12th and 26th, when the Orchid Committee will meet at the usual 
hour, 12 o’clock noon. 
The next meeting of the Manchester and North of England Orchid 
Society will be held at the Coal Exchange, Manchester, on August 21st. 
The Committee meets at noon, and the exhibits are open to members and 
the public from 1 to 4 o’clock p.m. 
Girt oF ORCHIDS BY SIR GEORGE HoLrorp.—tThe last issue of the 
