TIIK UISl'KRSION OK SKKl)8 AM* SI'OUKS. 107 



the elder (Saynbucus raceinosa), the gueldei'-rose 

 {Viburnum Opulus), the honeysuckle {Lonicera Peri- 

 clyvienum and L. Xylosteum), the red whortleberry 

 ( Vaccin{u7n Vitis-Idcea), the cranberry ( Vaccinium 

 Oocycoccos), the bearberry {Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi)* 

 the holly {Hex AquifoUum), the daphne {Daphne 

 Mezereum), the arum {Arum maculatum), the aspara- 

 gus {Asparagus officinalis), the lily of the valley 

 {Convallaria majalis), etc. 



Blue or black fruits occur on the buckthorn 

 {Rhamnus catharticus), the sloe {Prunus spinosa), the 

 bramble {Rubus polymorphus), the elder {Sambucus 

 nigra), the bilberry {Vaccinium Mijrtillus), the crow- 

 berry {Empetrum nigrum), etc. Examples of white 

 berries are seen in the mistletoe {Viscum album) 

 and snowberry {Symphoricarpus racem,osus).* 



The prevailing colours are red, blue, purple, orange, 

 and black. In this respect the colours of fruits differ 

 from those of flowers. Black, thovigh occasionally 

 seen in violets, is rare in flowers ; white, on the 

 other hand, is common. Perhaps this difference is 

 explained by the circumstance that night-blooming 

 flowers are nearly all white to suit their nocturnal 

 visitors. As very few frugivorous birds are nocturnal 

 in their habits, we should expect a corresponding 

 absence of pale-coloured fruits. The latter may, 

 however, have special attractions for bats. 



Cultivated fruits are very often of two colours ; 

 thus there are the red and green varieties of goose- 

 berry, white and red strawberries, and green and 

 purple plums and grapes. It is uncertain whether 

 both varieties exist in a state of nature. If they do, 

 a possible explanation would be, that while the 

 conspicuously coloured variety is intended to be 

 removed from the plant by birds, the green-coloured 

 fruits may, if they fall to the earth, be sufficiently 

 conspicuous on the ground to attract the notice of 

 terrestrial animals, and through their agency the 



*From Text-book of General Botany, by Dr. W. J. Behrens, revised by 



P. Geddes. 



H 



