[89]

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[89v]

(3 717

Ch 11 XI

much in the colour if their flowers; but in this latter case some of the bees flew indifferently to either species, although passing by other genera.) It should however be added that these bees evidently knew the position of each clump of flowers in the garden, and flew straight to them without any hesitation.

some species of Diptera or flies may be seen visiting and keeping to the flowers of the same species with almost as much the regularity of as do bees; and on catching them they were found covered with pollen. which could not fail to be thus transported from flower to flower. I have observed seen Rhingia rostrata acting in this manner with respect to the flowers of Lychnis dioica, & Ajuga reptans, and with respect to Vicia sepium, but whether a fly could cross-fertilise this latter plant is doubtful. Volucella plumosa & Empis cheiroptera flew straight from flower to flower of Myosotis sylvatica with much regularity. Dolichopus nigripennis behaved in the same manner with Potentilla tormentilla; and other Diptera with Stellaria

[Cross and self fertilisation, pp. 416-17: "I have repeatedly seen humble-bees flying straight from a plant of the ordinary red Dictamnus fraxinella to a white variety; from one to another very differently coloured variety of Delphinium consolida and of Primula veris; from a dark purple to a bright yellow variety of Viola tricolor; and with two species of Papaver, from one variety to another which differed much in colour; but in this latter case some of the bees flew indifferently to either species, although passing by other genera, and thus acted as if the two species were merely varieties. H. Müller also has seen hive-bees flying from flower to flower of Ranunculus bulbosus and arvensis, and of Trifolium fragiferum and repens; and even from blue hyacinths to blue violets.†
Some species of Diptera or flies keep to the flowers of the same species with almost as much regularity as do bees; and when captured they are found covered with pollen. I have seen Rhingia rostrata acting in this manner with the flowers of Lychnis dioica, Ajuga reptans, and Vicia sepium. Volucella plumosa and Empis cheiroptera flew straight from flower to flower of Myosotis sylvatica. Dolichopus nigripennis behaved in the same manner with Potentilla tormentilla; and other Diptera with Stellaria holostea, Helianthemum vulgare, Bellis perennis, Veronica hederaefolia and chamoedrys; but some flies visited indifferently the flowers of these two latter species.
† 'Bienen Zeitung' July 1876 page 183. "]