756 POLLINATION OF DARWINIA FASCICULARIS, 



This initial zygomorphy of flower and inflorescence is a distinct 

 gain to the plant, for each cluster, at one period of its existence, 

 will have flowers with elongated styles, carrying the mature stigmas 

 ready to receive pollen ; and other flowers, with shorter styles, with 

 large pollen-masses ready for the visitor to carry them away; so 

 that every visit to such clusters means an opportunity of both giv- 

 ing and receiving pollen at the one visit. The clusters are very 

 often grouped closely, so that general cross-pollination is more 

 easily effected. The introduced hive-bees are constant visitors to 

 these flowers during the winter months. But they are useless 

 guests, for they rarely touch the stigmas of the flowers; and only 

 occasionally did I see them brush off the pollen with their wings. 

 They approach the clusters from the side, usually, and walk 

 between the groups of styles without touching the stigmas. They 

 seem to visit the more mature clusters with closed flowers, and it 

 was amusing to watch their efforts to get open the corolla-lobes in 

 order to reach the nectar. Sometimes, in their efforts to force 

 open the flowers, they seem to stand on their heads; and I have 

 seen them force apart the mouth-parts in their endeavours to push 

 the sucking-mouth through to the nectar. 



In June and July, 1915, I observed, several times, honey-eaters 

 of two species on these bushes. One species of honey-eater was 

 very shy, and I could not identify it ; but I saw the birds fly from 

 flower to flower, and from one Darwinia bush to another. On 

 another occasion, I observed a pair of the Spinebill Honeyeater 

 {AcanthorhyncJius tenuirostris) on one of the plants; and I was 

 able to get within six feet of them, and watch, at leisure, their 

 feasting on the flower-clusters. They approached mostly from 

 the side, and sent their long bills into the flower-groups, their 

 heads rubbing against the styles. They visited the white-coloured 

 clusters, as well as the red ones. After a time, I stood up, but the 

 birds just looked up, flew to another cluster, and went on feeding. 

 It was only when I moved towards them that they flew off. Unfor- 

 tunately I had not a camera. On that occasion. Miss Le Plastrier 

 was with me, but she was observing another patch of Darwinia 

 thirty yards away ; she, too, saw birds of both species alight, and 



