24 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



The only ligulifloral composites on which I have seen humble- 

 bees are Dandelion (Taraxacum dens-leonis), and — more sparingly — 

 Cape Weed (Hypochmris radicata.) 



CaMPANULACEjE. 



Canterbury Bell (Campanula media) is frequently visited. 

 Lobelia erinus (hybrid). Beds of this plant proved very 

 attractive to the bees last summer. 



ERICE.E. 



Various cultivated Heaths (Erica) both purple and white 

 are visited by the bees. I have never found or heard of 

 them on long-tubed species however. 



Rhododendron. Occasionally bees visit the brilliantly- 

 coloured species. 



Arbutus unedo. The flowers are often visited by humble- 

 bees which, however, always appear to puncture the corolla. 



Prijiulacejs. 



The different forms of the genus Primula cultivated in 

 gardens under the names of Polyanthuses and Primroses 

 are hybrids probably between P. vulgaris, P. veris, and P. 

 elatior. I have found bees on both varieties, and also on 

 Auriculas (P. auricula?) Miiller says of Bombus terrestris 

 that it " makes a hole in the corolla-tube, a little above the 

 calyx, sometimes biting it with its mandible, sometimes 

 piercing it with its maxillse, and so reaching the honey with 

 its tongue, (I have sometimes seen this bee, before boring 

 the flower, make several attempts to reach the honey in the 

 legitimate way, — this observation is of interest, as proving 

 that the bee is not guided by instinct to the plant adapted 

 for it, but that it makes experiments, and gets its honey 

 where and how it can.") I have watched bees on the 

 flowers of Polyanthus and could only detect them brushing 

 up the pollen, but never piercing the corolla so as to reach 

 the nectar. Miiller further states that "pollen-collecting 

 bees are only able to secure their pollen in short-styled 

 flowers ; they learn to recognise the long-styled plants at a 

 distance and to avoid them, and then never perform cross- 

 fertilisation but very often self -fertilisation." However this 

 may be, one interesting result I have noted in my own 

 garden is, that this last spring, for the first time in my 

 experience in New Zealand, my Polyanthuses have sown 

 themselves in the flower-borders. Attempts have often 

 been made both here and in other parts to naturalise the 

 Primrose and Cowslip in the woods and waste places, but 

 hitherto without success. Now it would seem as if by the 

 agency of the humble-bees this might be possible. 



BoraginejE. 



Anchusa sp. A large species in my garden is greatly 

 frequented by the bees. 



