368 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



be taken for beetles or ticks. In many Euphorbiaceous plants, as, for 

 instance, in Jatropha (Fig. 24, c), the resemblance is even more strik- 

 ing. The seeds have a central line resembling the space between the 

 elytra, divicUng and slightly diverging at the end, while between them 

 the end of the abdomen seems to peep ; at the anterior end the seeds 

 possess a small lobe, or caruncle, which mimics the head or thorax of 



Fig. 24 a. Pod of 



BiSEREULA. 



Fig. 24 5. Seed of Castor- 

 Oil (Ricinus). 



Fig. 24 c Seed of 

 Jatropha. 



the insect, and which even seems specially arranged for this purpose ; 

 at least it would seem from experiments made at Kew that the carun- 

 culus exercises no appreciable effect during germination. 



These resemblances might benefit the plant in one of tAvo ways. 

 If it be an advantage to the plant that the seeds should be swallowed 

 by birds, their resemblance to insects might lead to this result. On 

 the other hand, if it be desirable to escape from graminivorous birds, 

 then the resemblance to insects would serve as a protection. We do 

 not, however, yet know enough about the habits of these j^lants to 

 solve this question. 



Indeed, as we have gone on, many other questions will, I doubt 

 not, have occurred to you, which we are not yet in a position to an- 

 swer. Seeds, for instance, differ almost infinitely in the sculpturing of 

 their surface. But I shall wofully have failed in my object to-night 

 if you go away with the impression that we know all about seeds. On 

 the contrary, there is not a fruit or a seed, even of one of our common- 

 est plants, which would not amply justify and richly reward the most 

 careful study. 



In this, as in other branches of science, we have but made a begin- 

 ning. We have learned just enough to perceive how little we know. 

 Our great masters in natural history have immortalized themselves by 

 their discoveries, but they have not exhausted the field ; and, if seeds 

 and fruits can not vie with flowers in the brilliance and color with 

 which they decorate our gardens and our fields, still they surely rival 

 ' it would be impossible to excel them in the almost infinite variety 

 of the problems they present to us, the ingenuity, the interest, and 

 the charm of the beautiful contrivances which they offer for our study 

 and our admiration. FortnUjhthj Review, 



