DISPERSION. 315 



In many cases there appears to be no special pro- 

 vision for the dispersion of seeds, and yet, when duly 

 considered, such a future has not been disregarded, 

 It may be that, covered with a pulpy fruit, attractive 

 to some member of the animal kingdom, the hard 

 seeds have thus been transported to a considerable 

 distance, and found a congenial soil. This fact is 

 recognised by zoologists themselves, as will be 

 evident from the following extract : — " Doubtless 

 many of our most richly-wooded landscapes owe 

 much of their timber to the agency of quadrupeds 

 and birds. Linnets, goldfinches, thrushes, goldcrests, 

 &c., feed on the seeds of elms, firs, and ash, and 

 carry them away to hedge-rows, where, fostered and 

 protected by bush and bramble, they spring up, and 

 become luxuriant trees. Many noble oaks have 

 been planted by the squirrel, who unconsciously 

 yields no inconsiderable boon to the domain he 

 infests. Towards autumn this provident little 

 animal mounts the branches of oak trees, strips off 

 the acorns and buries them in the earth, as a supply 

 of food against the severities of winter. He is most 

 probably not gifted with a memory of sufficient 

 retention to enable him to find every one he secretes, 

 which are thus left in the ground, and springing up 

 the following year, finally grow into magnificent 

 trees. Pheasants devour numbers of acorns in the 

 autumn, some of which having passed through the 



