TO SEEDS. 303 



though sometimes it is barbed, or at least 

 its covering, as in Siipa, Engl. Bot. t. 1356, 

 that it may not easily be withdrawn again 

 by the powerful feathery appendage of that 

 plant, which after having by its circumvo- 

 lutions forced the seed deeper and deeper, 

 breaks off at a joint, and flies away. 



The various modes by which seeds are 

 dispersed cannot fail to strike an observing 

 mind with admiration. Who has not list- 

 ened in a calm and sunny day to the 

 crackling of Furze bushes, caused by the 

 explosion of their little elastic pods; nor 

 watched the down of innumerable seeds 

 floating on the summer breeze, till they 

 are overtaken by a shower, which moisten- 

 ing their wings stops their further flight, 

 and at the same time accomplishes its final 

 purpose, by immediately promoting the 

 germination of each seed in the moist earth : 

 How little are children aware, as they blow 

 away the seeds of Dandelion, or stick 

 Burs in sport upon each other's clothes, 

 that they are fulfilling one of the gneai 

 ends of Nature! Sometimes the Caljix, 

 beset with hooks, forms the bur, as in 



