14 On the Fertilization of Calamintha nepeta. [{January, 
mok Warris?, H. tessellata ?, Lycena comynias Uarris?, and 
two species of Nyssoniades. Coleoptera—Chauliognathus penn- ” 
sylvanicus DeGeer. In addition to these a fly, Mesograpta margi- 
nata Say.,) and one of the species of Halictus mentioned above, 
were found in considerable numbers collecting pollen from the 
anthers of young flowers, in doing which they undoubtedly often 
carry the pollen of one flower to the stigma of another, 
Of these insects the species most common in this connection 
are Apis mellifica, Bombus virginicus and Chauliognathus pennsyl- 
vanicus, all of which may be counted by thousands on a bright 
sunny day about the first of September in places where the plant | 
grows abundantly ; and it is upon them, chiefly, that the fertiliza- 
tion of the flowers is dependent. Some of the Lepidoptera, 
especially Pieris rape, are very often seen sipping the nectar of 
the basil thyme, but from the length of their proboscides they can 
easily reach the bottom of the corolla without inserting their 
heads into its throat, and I am inclined to believe that their effi- 
ciency in the transfer of pollen is not very great. A noctuid 
moth, apparently belonging to the genus Prodenia was also very 
abundant, but in obtaining the nectar it did not rest upon the 
flower like the species enumerated above, but hovered before it, 
steadying itself with its fore feet as I have seen Heliothis armigera 
do when feeding upon the involucral nectar of Gossypium. 
Though I was somewhat surprised to find a noctuid thus engaged 
at midday, I find that Harris? records the habit as not uncommon 
to certain Agrotids, and it is probably well known to all ento- 
mologists. 
From what precedes, it may be seen that the nectar of this 
Calamintha attracts many insects belonging to a considerable 
number of species, and that the majority of these—in individuals 
if not in species—readily obtain the sugared fluid, in doing 
which they encounter the stigma and anthers of the flower—the 
former (if mature) in entering, the latter before leaving it. 
The development of the flowers is such that the self-fertiliza- 
tion of a given flower appears possible in but two ways: 1. Pol- 
len may be taken up by the longer (lower) lobe of the imma- 
ture stigma as the latter passes below or between the anthers 
during the elongation of the style, and remaining there, and; : 
1 Identified by Mr. Edward Burgess. 
* Insects Injurious to Vegetation (Flint edition), p. 441. 
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