igo NATURAL SCIENCE. March. 



that the migrant waders, Aigialitis, Tringa, etc., carry seeds of marsh- 

 loving and aquatic plants about in this manner ; for a number of 

 plants, such as Rhynchospora aurea, Vahl., which did not grow within a 

 considerable distance of a stone tank in the gardens, appeared there 

 after the visits of a snippet {Tvinga sp.). But more direct evidence 

 of the part played by these birds is wanted. Many other birds no 

 doubt play an irregular part in dissemination. Mr. G. Clunies Ross 

 tells me that on Cocos islands when the boobies are not nesting and 

 have consequently left, the frigate birds {Tachypetes aquila) are unable 

 to procure their ordinary food, which consists of fish taken from the 

 boobies, and that they then swallow seeds of Guilandina and beans 

 which they find floating in the sea, and on flying to the land vomit 

 them up again ; apparently merely using them to fill up temporarily 

 the empty crops. In this way seeds of these plants may be carried to 

 some distance inland. 



In pointing out that coloured fruits are especially attractive to 

 birds, it is not intended to imply that they do not seek brown or green 

 fruits at all. On the contrary, many inconspicuous fruits are de- 

 voured by them, and the seeds thus dispersed ; such are those of the 

 Macarangas, M. javanica, Muell., with small brown capsules, 

 M. popiilifolia, Muell., with green ones, which are popular with parrots 

 and pigeons (chiefly Treron and Turtur) ; but there is no doubt that 

 coloured fruits are cleared off with much greater rapidity than the 

 dull-coloured ones. 



It is not essential that fruits should be flavoured to our taste in 

 order to induce birds or animals to swallow them. The Macavanga 

 capsules, covered with a viscid gum most unpleasant to the mouth, 

 the hot Capsiaims, the drupes of the palm Kentia MacartJmri, the 

 berries of the wild grapes [Cissus spp.), which have a most irritating 

 effect on the mouth, and the poisonous fruits of Sapium are all highly 

 popular with birds, and even the fruit of Strychnos Tiente, BL, with its 

 intensely bitter pulp, is eaten by civet cats. A large number of the 

 wild fruits, too, though very astringent, are often eaten by birds or 

 animals. 



Here by far the commonest attracting colour is red, followed by 

 orange and yellow, then come black, white, pink, purple, and blue, 

 which last is by no means common. It is not rare to see two, and 

 sometimes three, colours combined in the fruit or fructification, and 

 these are usually red and black ; red, black, and yellow ; red and 

 yellow, and black and white. Combinations of white with red, pink 

 with black, and black with yellow occur more seldom. 



Very many plants have red drupes or berries, especially those 

 which inhabit thick jungles or the borders of forests, e.g.,Fagreafyagrans, 

 Roxb., Leucopogon malayaniis, Jack., Piper canintim, L., P. nigrum, L., 

 and other peppers, Anisophyllea disticha, Baill., Neiiwiedia Cnrtisii, Rolfe, 

 many palms, Kentia, Drymophlceus, etc. Sometimes the peduncles of 

 the fruit also become of a bright red when fruiting, making the plant 



