264 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



ckfh againft each other, a found refembling the 

 tic-tac of a mill. When the grayifh fruit of the 

 genipa of the Antilles comes to maturity, and falls 

 from the tree, it bounces on the ground with a 

 noife like the report of a piftol *. Upon this fig- 

 nal, more than one guefl, no doubt, reforts thither 

 in quefl of a repaft. This fruit feems particularly 

 deftined to the ufe of the land-crabs, which are 

 eagerly fond of it, and very foon grow fat on this 

 kind of food. It would haveanfwered no purpofe 

 to them to fee it on the tree, which they are inca- 

 pable of climbing; but they are informed of the 

 moment when it is proper for food, by the noife of 

 it's fall. 



Other fruits, as the jaque and mango, affect the 

 fenfe of fmelling in animals fo powerfully, as to be 

 perceptible more than the quarter of a league dit- 

 tant, when the fruit is to windward. I believe 

 that this property, of emitting a powerful per- 

 fume, is likewife common to fuch of our fruits as 

 lie concealed under the foliage, apricots, for in- 

 ftance. There are other vegetables which ma- 

 mfeft themfelves to animals, if I may ufe that ex- 

 prefhon, only in the night-time. The jalap of 

 Peru, or the belle of the night, opens not her 

 flrongly-fcented flowers except in the dark. The 



* Father du Tertres Hiftory of the Antilles. 



flower 



