206 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
this suggestion-is endorsed by Bentham’s remark that the plants 
of this genus are sometimes polygamous. 
I have noticed only the ordinary house-fly (Musca domestica), 
particularly young ones, and a few ants. crawling over these 
plants, and thus infer that they may be the pollinating agents. 
EXCURSION TO BOTANIC GARDENS. 
The monthly excursion (July) took the form of a visit to the 
Herbarium and Botanic Gardens. The visitors were conducted 
through the Herbarium, and its activities explained by members 
of the staff. After the inspection the party was invited to after- 
noon ‘tea by the Director and Mrs. Maiden. ‘The President 
voiced the thanks of those present to our hosts, and the Misses 
Maiden for their thoughtful provision for our entertainment. 
The members expressed their appreciation by acclamation. 
4 A.A.H. 
ERYTIRINA INDICA. 
By Hinpsa Burier. 
The brilliant scarlet flowers and abundant nectar of the coral 
tree (Erythrina indica), attract many birds that constantly flit 
from flower to flower; yet, in the neighbourhood of Sydney, the 
tree does not set fruit. If the bird, in seeking nectar, were to 
push the large uppermost petal, the vexillum, upwards, and in- 
sert its bill into the tube formed of the fused filaments of sta- 
mens, and in which the nectar lies, it would be almost certain to 
brush some of the pollen from the stamens on to its breast, 
and that pollen would be deposited upon the stigma of the next 
flower visited. 
The silver-eye, however, takes a short cut to the nectar, and 
neglects its task of effecting pollination. The bird perches at 
the base of .a bunch of flowers, turns its head on one side, and, 
piercing the keel of the flower with its bill, extracts the nectar 
which the plant prepared as a rewand for pollination. 
. 
