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of Westralian Plants . 
The coral red blossoms of G. bipinnatifida , R. Br., and the brilliant scarlet 
ones of G. Wilsoni , A. Cunn., are almost certainly bird-pollinated : their 
styles project too far from the perigone for insect pollinators to be efficient. 
The inflorescence of Hakaea myrtoides , Meissn., is highly specialized. 
I have, indeed, felt some inclination to set it down as higher than the 
forms next to be considered ; but, as each branch bears many inflorescences 
simulating a raceme, I have decided it is inferior to those forms whose 
branches bear one terminal inflorescence. It is a diffuse subshrub. The 
last few inches of each branch bears in every axil an umbel of from three 
to six tiny blossoms of ruddy purple hue. The perigone is but one 
millimetre across and four millimetres high, yet the style is twelve milli¬ 
metres in length. The posterior side of each floweret, which faces the 
umbellar axis, is split to the base where the tiny disc (about 0*12 c.mm.) 
protrudes. The secretion of nectar is out of all proportion to the disc’s 
size: I have found drops measuring at least 60 c.mm. resting between 
five flowers. I do not think rain could have contributed : the drops were 
quite sweet, and drops of water carefully placed in the centres of umbels 
always quickly disappeared, finding their way down the stem. The nectar 
would certainly attract birds; and the flower seems ill adapted for insect 
pollinators. The bird which could sip a nectar-drop without brushing at 
least one of the erect (or slightly incurved) styles surrounding it would be 
skilful indeed. 
Grevillea eidostackya , Lindl., will serve well as a connecting link with 
the most highly specialized inflorescences. Its yellowish flowers are borne 
in dense secund racemes terminating the branches. Though the flowers 
are packed very closely together, the stigmas all face one way—towards 
the apex of the stem—so probably each flower would need individual 
attention from a pollinator. A bushman recently remarked to me that 
though the flowers secrete nectar very freely—boys are fond of sucking 
the flower spikes and call the shrub ‘honeysuckle’—bees very rarely visit 
them. Doubtless birds are the official pollinators. 
The inflorescence of Banksia spp. is a large somewhat cone-like spike, 
singularly beautiful in appearance, and often brightly coloured. The 
flowers are so densely crowded together as to form almost a solid mass 
from which the hard tough styles project. I have many times seen small 
honey-eaters taking nectar from the flowers of B. attenuata , R. Br., 
B. prionotes , Lindl, and B. Menziesii , R. Br., and cannot doubt that they 
act as pollinators. The bird usually perches on the top of a spike and 
bends down to take nectar, probably brushing many styles which point 
upwards in the process. 
The highest degree of specialization is found, I think, in those species 
of Dryandra whose inflorescences strikingly resemble, superficially, those 
of Compositae. Many times and often have I seen birds thrust their 
