Sensibility of Vegetables. IS 5 



the lateral leaflets are frequently moving upwards and down- 

 wards, either equally or by jerks. It is difficult to suppose 

 what end this motion is intended to answer to the plant 

 itself; as these movements take place without any visible 

 cooperation between the several leaflets. But that plants do 

 avoid danger daily experience proves to be the fact : the most 

 unobserving cannot but have remarked the closing of many 

 flowers before rain ; or at night, when the sun has ceased to 

 exert his power. The peculiar habit of many parasitical 

 plants to climb in one particular direction, is also well worthy 

 of regard. 



The manner in which the seeds of some plants are dis- 

 persed is very wonderful. We will take, as an instance, those 

 of the mosses. The capsules of mosses, when in flower, are 

 covered with a small lid, which, in more advanced fructifi- 

 cation, drops off", and discloses to view in most a set of fine 

 teeth, arranged round the mouth of the seed-vessel, and 

 which are called the fringe or peristome : these teeth, in 

 dry weather, close over the mouth, lest the seeds should 

 escape, and, from the parched state of the ground, should not 

 germinate; but when the wet weather comes, they imme- 

 diately open, and allow the seeds to fly out. 



The Nepenthes distillatoria, is also well worthy of notice. It 

 is found in the marshes of India, though not entirely submerged 

 in water. The extremities of the leaves of this plant are 

 furnished with a very peculiar appendage : it is in the form of 

 a pitcher with a movable lid, and is generally full of water 

 secreted through the footstalk, which is well adapted to that 

 purpose. As to the use of these reservoirs botanists are not 

 quite agreed. Sir J. Smith is of opinion that it is the den 

 of a species of A^quilla, or shrimp, which feeds upon the flies 

 and other insects which have perished there; while others 

 think that they are intended to support and refresh the plant 

 with water when the surrounding swamps are dried up. 

 Drosera, an English genus, which inhabits our marshes, is 

 also worthy of remark : the leaves of it are clothed with 

 beautiful long scarlet hairs; and if a fly happens to alight 

 upon any of the leaves, these hairs immediately curl over it, 

 and squeeze it to death. Perhaps these hairs may be pro- 

 vided by Providence in order to catch flies and other insects, 

 from which the plant might obtain nourishment. 



The care of Providence in protecting the parts of fructifi- 

 cation, and effecting the impregnation of the pistil, is also 

 highly curious. In some of the lily tribe, when the flowers are 

 in their prime, you may observe the stf^mens approaching the 

 pistil in pairs, and the pistil inclining towards them, so as 



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