S ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
purple-anthered forms of Alopecurus pratensis^ but I have been 
unable to find any. I was induced to examine other Grasses in 
which similar differences in the colour of the anthers occur, in 
order to assure myself that the two forms of Alopecurus pratensis 
could not be separated even as named varieties. In most cases 
the anthers fall off without changing colour, but in a few species 
{Alopecurus pratensis^ A. geniculatus, A. agrestis, Lactylis glomerata) 
they change from purple or pale yellow to fulvous brown ; but 
this change does not take place unless they are empty and dead. 
I suppose it is much as we see in a beech hedge on which the 
leaves remain in winter, but changed to brown. On the second 
point, in Britain most of the plants whose flowers are most attrac- 
tive to insects are either scentless or with a disagreeable odour ; 
look for example at Salix^ Centranthus ruber ^ Silene inflata^ Lilium 
Martagon, Ecliium vulgare ; of these Liliunb Martagon is the only 
one with a powerful odour, but very few persons would call it an 
agreeable one. In the special case of Grasses, I refer to one of the 
best authorities for Lepidoptera, Dr. H. G. Knaggs. He says, under 
Elowers as Alluring Baits for Motha " (" Lepidopterist's Guide,'* 
ed. ii., p. 92) : Grasses (especially Glyceria Jluitans). — S{tilhe) 
anomala, A(grotis) tritici, cursoria, and valligera, L{eucania) impura 
and conigera^ N{octua) umhrosa and glareosa^ Tiriphcena) fimhriaj 
A{pamea) gemina^ C{elmnd)Saworth%i^ M{iana) arcuosa, and many 
others." In my own experience I have found it useless to sugar 
for moths when Glyceria Jluitans was in flower in the vicinity ; 
on looking at it I have seen the spikelets invaded by hosts of 
Leucania olsoleta^ pallens^ impura^ conigera^ Miana fasciuncula, 
Noctua umhrosa, Agrotis exclamationis, TriphcBna pronuha, &c. On 
Deal sandhills I have noticed a similar phenomenon, when the 
attraction was the flowers of Psamma arenaria ; and at Balmuto 
Dactylis glomerata is attractive to moths, though less so than the 
two other Grasses named. Every eoleopterist knows that a field 
of Grass in flower is one of the best grounds for sweeping," 
and expects to find in his net a host of individuals belonging to 
genera not included in Diptera. 
[Extract from a letter read March 5, 1873.] 
I made out pretty well about the intra-palear fertilisation of "Wheat 
this year, and have been meaning to send you the results. The 
anthers are empty except a few accidentally adherent grains when 
