moss is a collection of melliferous flowers or perhaps, better still, one of the 

 large mushrooms, some species of which possess somewhat similar, though not 

 quite as bright colors. The shape of a Splachnum cushion viewed as a whole 

 from a distance reminds one somewhat of one of the large mushrooms which are 

 much liked by flies. On two occasions I found an ant inside the hypophysis 

 of Splachnum vasculosum. These ants were undoubtedly intent upon stealing 

 honey; they had bitten an opening, crawled inside and were fooled. And what 

 can deceive an ant, could easily do the same with a fly."^ Commenting upon 

 Bryhn's observations, GoebeP supposes that the luster, rather than the color 

 of the hypophysis is the main attraction, since it is known that shiny objects 

 are very alluring to flies. Goebel further calls attention to the peculiar odor 

 emitted by Splachnum, which may also invite the insects. 



I have also noticed the very strong and characteristic odor of fruit-bearing 

 cushions of Tetraplodon mnioides. It is my opinion that this redolence, as in 

 the case of flowers, is the main attractive agent, at least at a certain distance. 

 It is a well established fact that the olfactive powers of insects are very highly 

 developed. On approaching nearer to the cushions, the flies may then be able 

 to locate the source of the fragrance by the bright and shiny hypophyses. I do 

 not think, however, that they are in the least "fooled" by the moss cushions, 

 for I have observed them licking the surface of the hypophysis. Furthermore, 

 if deceived, they would not return so readily to the same spot when d^isturbed. 

 The dispersal of the spores of Splachnacece by flies is, in my estimation, the com- 

 plete parallel of the cross-pollination of many flowers by insects. In both cases 

 the plant not only possesses certain devices to allure its agents, but also offers 

 food either for them or their young, thus causing them to be steady visitors. 



The Splachnacece are thus far the only bryophytes for which a dispersal of 

 spores by insects has been indicated.^ Additional observations on the indigenous 

 and exotic members of the family would therefore be welcome to the ecologist 

 and it is hoped that students of mosses will further investigate this interesting 

 topic. 



American Museum of Natural History 

 New York 



^ That the ants in this case were "fooled, " as Bryhn expresses it, is by no means certain. I 

 rather beUeve that they were attracted by the soft and swollen hypophysis and were enjoying a 

 feast on its juices. These insects could, however, not be of much use in the dispersal of the spores, 

 for it is not likely that they would transfer them to fresh dung or carrion. 



^ Goebel, K. Organographie der Pflanzen. 2d Ed. Bd. II, Heft i, 889-890. 1915. 



^ C. C. Plitt (Bryologist 10: 54-55, 1907) has noted that ants are fond of the spores of We- 

 hera sessilis; he also found the capsules of this moss gnawed on a patch growing over an ant's 

 nest. That these insects would be effective scatterers of the spores of this moss seems extremely 

 doubtful. 



