ROBBERY AND MURDER. 227 



equal terms with other plants. Hundreds of species 

 are running a scratch-race for life, and are only 

 just able to keep up with it. Once a species falls 

 behind its chance is over, if it contains no store or 

 stock of energy to enable it to gain back the lost 

 ground, and to rush abreast again with a " spurt." 

 Degeneration then of necessity follows, and with it 

 all sorts of vegetable vices and dodges to gain a 

 bare living, or for hanging on to life. 



The term '' parasitism " is often very loosely 

 enlployed. Many people speak of climbing plants 

 as if they were parasites ; but such a condition of 

 vegetable existence is one of dependency rather than 

 of parasitism. Nevertheless, the act of climbing, or 

 growing in company with some other and stronger 

 plant, may range from " commensalism " to absolute 

 strangulation. One habit does no harm whatever, 

 and may even be a serviceable companionship (for 

 we know nothing as yet of vegetable commensalism, 

 and very little of animal, in spite of Van Beneden's 

 delightful book on the subject) ; the latter is an act 

 of robbery and murder. Kingsley (At Last) gives 

 an instance from his Trinidad experience of com- 

 panionship in growth which seems almost to come 

 under the head of " commensalism " or vegetable 

 " messmateship." " A Poix doiix (Inga), some said it 

 was ; others that it was a Figuier {Ficus). I incline 

 to the former belief,- as the leaves seemed to me 

 pinnated ; but the doubt was pardonable enough. 



