19 
of other plants growing in-the sand. It has a vertical tap-root 
six or eight inches long, from which long, slender branches are 
sent off horizontally, so that the sand is quite well pervaded by 
those coming from various plants. They run along beneath the 
surface at a depth of two to six inches—most commonly at two 
to three inches—and hence are easily reached by the stem of the 
Aphyllon. They are very slender, barely more than an eighth 
of an inch in diameter when they leave the main root, so that 
they are thread-like in appearance, changing their dimensions 
quite imperceptibly. In all cases of interest they were accurately 
measured when freshly taken from the ground, and the distance 
of the Aphyl/on from the main root ascertained. The longest 
distance was. forty-three inches, the root in this case running 
quite direct. Others stood at the distance of thirty-seven and 
thirty-three inches respectively, and so on down to half an inch, 
or a close connection. Sometimes two or three are supported 
by the same root, or by different roots of the same plant. 
These roots are somewhat sparsely furnished with hair-like 
fibrils, to which the parasite may be grown. It is in such cases 
that the connection is difficult to maintain, the fibrils being so 
easily broken off while digging the sand away. NHand-digging 
was the most successful in following the slender roots, which for- 
tunately were found to be elastic and stronger than their size 
would indicate. After a few trials and comparisons they were 
readily distinguished from other roots pervading the sand, and 
followed among those of grasses and Arctostaphylos, the most 
common of the accompanying plants. They differed in color, 
structure and taste. Those of Arctostaphylos are dark red or 
brown, the outer bark loose and dark colored, the inner lighter. 
They are also woody and branch considerably. The roots of A. 
Canadensis are pale brown, the bark closely adherent and finely 
creased longitudinally, under the lens resembling the furrowed 
bark of a tree. They are also very finely crooked, and presenta 
crinkled or a slightly spiral look when held before the eye, like 
that of a fibre untwisted from a thread. This gives them elastic- 
ity, for by taking a piece a foot or two long and stretching it, 
the kinks are straightened out but immediately reappear when 
the force is relaxed. And though species of Artemisia are com- 
