KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 52. N:0 |7. 103 
Myzomela erythrocephala derbyi Marin. 
Math. handl. n:r 747. J juv., 2 ad. Sunday Island ?3/;, ”!/, 1911, moult. in tail and wing-feathers, 
slightly in back and breast. 
Myzomela pectoralis pectoralis GouLpD. 
Math. handl. n:r 749. 9 ad. Derby, Kimb. ?!/1o 1910; SJ ad. Sunday Island !5/> 1911, wing-feathers 
in moult. 
Relation to plants (pollination). 
Ecological. — These two species were found during the breeding season at 
Sunday Island. The one specimen of M. pectoralis was shot in the month of Oct. 
on the continent. 
At Sunday Island these two species lived in the parts of the island, most rich in 
vegetation, particularly M. erythrocephala. In places, where a ravine opened out 
towards the sea, there was always an abundant growth of Eucalyptus- and Pandanus- 
trees and nearest the water inside the mangrove a shrubby part of narrow, high trees. 
At the place, where these shrubs were in bloom, I discovered M. erythrocephala for 
the first time. I looked for it later on in this place and not in vain. The bird 
was, however, rare. 
M. pectoralis appeared here and there in the glen that goes through Sunday 
Island and in which there is a rich shrub-vegetation in certain places. Where this 
plant was in bloom I have not infrequently heard the melodious call-note of the bird. 
I soon noticed that these two honey-eaters were the most assiduous visitors to the 
flowers of all the birds. The specimens I shot were all powdered with pollen at the 
root of the upper bill. Like other species of this big family they undoubtedly help 
to carry pollen from flower to flower, and surely they are best adapted for this. 
Small as they are, they climb with agility among the flowers in order to investigate 
them with their curved bill. 
A further examination convinced me of the activity that they were obliged to 
develop at their visits to the flowers. A little bare part of the skin at the base of 
the upper bill was due to the wearing away of the feathers by their continuous 
work in the flowers. On account of this the root of the bill showed at the forehead 
a wedge-shaped unfeathered part, in which the grains of pollen had been pressed 
together into a little lump. 
With regard to the visits of the Meliphagide to the flowers it is noteworthy 
that their very uniform bill is well suited to the simple structure of the flowers of 
the Kucalyptus species, which grow everywhere here. (Cf. Nectariniide and Trochilide 
in Afrika, Indien and Amerika, where the circumstances are much more striking.) As 
for North West Australia the most general Kucalyptus-flowers, in which I saw besides 
