DISSEMINATION OF VIRGINIA CREEPER 219 



seed attained a height of but two inches. However, the seeds 

 from the Virginia Creeper berries appeared to germinate, on the 

 average, a few days sooner than did those seeds taken from the 

 bird excrement. 



The seeds, in germinating, first sent down a tap root, and then 

 raised their two seed leaves sidewise above the ground, while 

 the stem formed an arch. Gradually this arch straightened 

 until the seed leaves were borne erect, yet still enclosed within 

 the seed coat, which finally split open and gradually wasted 

 away until it dropped to the ground. Growth by the stem 

 after that was more rapid. The seed leaves appeared to absorb 

 the nutriment contained within the seed coat, for they were 

 rather thick at first but soon became thinner and rapidly as- 

 sumed a deeper shade of green. 



On July 23, 1914, fifty square feet of space was marked off on 

 the ground surface beneath the tree from which the bird excre- 

 ments containing seeds were gathered on February 19, 1914. 

 This space was clear, shaded, and of southeast exposure, sur- 

 rounded by a heavy growth of grass. The soil was alluvial 

 sand. On fifty -square feet, seventy healthy Virginia Creeper 

 seedlings were counted that had germinated under natural 

 conditions. It seems reasonable to suppose that the most of 

 these plants must have sprung from seeds that had passed 

 through the digestive tract of English sparrows, as few excreta 

 were found adhering to the trunk and limbs of the tree at this 

 time. 



From the foregoing observation, it would appear that seeds 

 of the Virginia Creeper can pass through the digestive tract of 

 the English sparrow and still retain their germinating power to 

 a marked degree. This being true, it follows obviously that the 

 English sparrow may, under certain circumstances, be an im- 

 portant agent in the dissemination of Virginia Creeper seeds in 

 central Colorado. 



