116 
LOCK: ECOLOGICAL NOTES 
During the morning, while the flowers were open, they 
were visited by bees in great numbers. Am ong these the 
two species Apis indica, Fabr ., and Melipona canifrons, 
Smith , constituted an overwhelming majority. The only 
other forms observed were a few examples of HaPctus 
taprobane, and a single specimen of Allodape sp., a genus 
not previously recorded from Ceylon. The only other 
insects of any kind observed to actually visit the flowers were 
one specimen of an hemipterous insect, Riptortus linearis, 
and a solitary syrphid fly which was not captured. 
On a dull morning three flowers of the short-styled form 
received in a quarter of an hour eight, seven, and seven visits 
respectively from Apis and Melipona. In full sunshine 
the visits were very much more frequent. The number of 
flowers open at one time on six plants covering an area of 
about four square yards amounted to over 300. 
Apis appeared to be the most efficient worker. This bee 
often collected simultaneously honey and pollen from the 
long-styled f orm ; whereas the smaller Melipona seemed unable 
to do so. In collecting honey from the short-styled form Apis 
usually, but not always, stood with its back to the stamens and 
stigmas; it invariably worked right round the flower, pro¬ 
bing each of the five nectaries in turn. Pollen was collected 
from the short-styled form in a separate process, the bee 
alighting actually upon the anthers. Each of these processes 
was usually carried out by the same bee in a series of flowers 
of the same form. And, especially in the case of the short- 
styled form, the bee often visited a long series of flowers, 
discarding the other form and collecting pollen only from 
the long stamens. And this was the case when, as often 
two ^ n ds of flowers grew side by side owing to 
°n fee other hand, was often collected from either form 
indifferently. Melipona began its visits earlier than Apis, 
wK-iTH ° ften t0 ** 86611 Crawlin S down into the flower 
wmtst the corolla was still rolled up into a narrow tube 
just wide enough for entrance. 
