320 JOUUNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
such flowers as those of the jasmine and the greater snapdragon. 
I say not invariably, as I have often seen them passing down the 
throat of the corolla in Antirrhinum majus to reach it, notwith- 
standing the closing on them of the elastic lip of this flower with 
some degree of force whilst they were so doing. This variation in 
the practice of individual insects in pursuit of the same end is an 
interesting fact, especially as I believe bees of the same species 
follow the both plans, an opinion in which I see I am supported 
by Dr. Ogle, as quoted by Sir John Lubbock. I am doubtful if 
honey bees ever bite holes in flowers in gathering honey, and con- 
sider those at Port Wrinkle were only using the holes previously 
made. by the larger wild species, which Darwin says he has seen 
them doing; so that here we have a very curious instance of the 
dependence of one kind of bee on another for the obtaining of 
any food from a certain plant, and a good illustration of an inter- 
dependence between species. Were all bees to gather their honey 
through bitten holes instead of by creeping between the organs and 
exploring the recesses of flowers, they would not do nearly so much 
in rendering plants fertile as is now the case, since in numerous 
species they would secure the nectar without bringing their bodies 
into contact with either stamens or pistil; moreover such a pro- 
cedure would be to the additional loss of the plants through its 
removal lessening the chance of their fertilization by moths, ete. 
Darwin has conclusively shown that some plants are absolutely 
dependent on certain insects for the transference of the pollen to 
the stigmatic surface; so it is manifest that the presence or absence, 
abundance or scarcity of such insects in a district must influence 
the range and numbers of these plants. Nor can we stop here if 
we keep in mind the contention between different vegetable species 
for the possession of the ground; for then we must see that this 
means conversely less or more of those other plants with which 
the insect-fertilised ones are in closest conflict. As regards the 
3ritish species of the genus Orchis, of which we have five in our 
neighbourhood, Mr. Darwin considers their fertilisation depends 
almost exclusively on moths, and says he feels almost certain bees 
do not habitually visit them, although he has had evidence that 
they will sometimes do so in a hive and a humble bee sent him by 
Professor Westwood with pollinia from their flowers attached. I 
have myself caught a very large humble bee, between Plymbridge 
and Plympton, with no less than four pollinia of Orchis mascula 
