272 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



What is flill more extraordinary, it lets fall, from 

 the top of the tree on which it is placed, in a per- 

 pendicular direction, very ftrong cordage, of the 

 lize of a quill, the whole length through, which 

 takes root on reaching the ground. The plant it- 

 felf emits no fmell, but this cordage fmells ftrongly 

 of garlic. Undoubtedly, when a monkey, or fome 

 fuch clambering animal, perceives this broad ftan- 

 dard of verdure, to no purpofe does the tree op- 

 pofe, around it's root, a fortification of thorns, 

 this fignal announces that he has a friend within 

 the fortrefs : the fmell of the cordage, which de- 

 fcends down to the ground, directs him to the 

 fcali'ng ladder, even during the night ; and while 

 the birds are ileeping in fecurity on their nefts, 

 confident in the ftrength of their bulwarks, the 

 enemy gets poffelTion of the town through the 

 fuburbs. 



In thofe countries, thé thorns upon the trees af- 

 ford protection even to the infects. Bees there carry 

 on their honey-making proceffes in the aged 

 trunks of prickly trees, hollowed by the hand of 

 Time. It is very remarkable that Nature, who 

 has provided this refource for the bees of Ame- 

 rica, has with -held from them a fting, as if thofe 

 on the trees were fufficient for their defence. I 

 believe that to this reafon it may be afcribed, 

 though no attention has been paid to it, that we 



have 



