ON FRUITS AND SEEDS. 



367 



plant. For instance, there are two species of Scorpiiirus (Fig. 23), the 

 pods of which lie on the ground, and so curiously resemble the one {S. 

 subvillosa, Fig. 23, a) a centiped, the other {S. vermiculata, Fig. 23, 

 h) a worm or caterpillar, that it is almost impossible not to suppose 

 that the likeness must be of some use to the plant. 



Fig. 23, a, ?od ot? Scorpixtrus subvillosa ; 5, Pod of Scorpiurus vermiculata. 



The pod of Biserrula pelecinus (Fig. 24, a) also has a striking re- 

 semblance to a flattened centiped ; while the seeds of Abrus precato- 

 rius, both in size and in their very striking color, mimic a small beetle, 

 Artemis circuiniista. 



Mr. Moore has recently called attention to other cases of this kind. 

 Thus the seed of 3Iartynia cUandra much resembles a beetle with 

 long antenna : several species of Lupins have seeds much like spiders, ' 

 and those of Dimorpliochlamys^ a gourd-like plant, mimic a piece of 

 dry twig. In the common castor-oil plants (Fig. 24, J), though the 

 resemblaii<^e is not so close, still at first glance the seeds might readily 



