436 



I'HOTECTION OF GREEN LEAVES AGAINST ATTACKS OF ANIMALS. 



points are excellently protected against the attacks of animals, scarcely requires to 

 be proved more in detail; however, it might be indicated by special mention of two 

 interesting examples. In the Southern Alps, in the neighbour! lood of Monte Baldo, 

 and on the oj^jjosite mountains behind Vallarsa, a species of grass (Feduca ulpefitris, 

 see fig. 86^), is found liere and there, whose I'igid leaves, projecting in all directions, 



i'ig. li^. — LJruup uf lliistLs i^Ciiifiuiii >u 



,aU). 



terminate in needle-shaped points. This grass is the plant most detested in the 

 whole district, and the shepherds try to destroy it by burning, whei-ever it appears 

 in quantity, since the grazing animals, when seeking other plants growing between 

 the patches of Festuca alpestris, cut their nostrils so severely that they often retui-n 

 from their grazing in a bleeding condition. It is remarkable that when these grasses 

 can be easily uprooted, the gi-azing animals themselves bring about this destruction. 

 The Mat-grass (Nardus stricta), when growing in the meadows, is seized low down 



