WILLOW TWIGS. 139 



When they began to bend downwards from 

 the horizontal the seed was lifted rapidly out 

 of its place. The movement of the pappus 

 was plainly visible, and in a few minutes 

 after I had noticed the opening of the head 

 the round balloons, with a seed, or fruit, in 

 the centre of each (Fig. 94, 6), were piled 

 in a fairy little mountain, ready to be carried 

 away on the first zephyr. 



Willow Twigs. 

 By the side of a brook and in sight from 

 my window is a clump of white willows. 

 This sunny April morning, as I strolled to- 

 ward the brook to note any signs of return- 

 ing life along its banks, I noticed that under- 

 neath the willows were lying numerous small 

 branches which had been broken off squarely 

 near their bases. They were lying in the 

 water, or very near it, and knowing that 

 these trees have a wonderful propensity to 

 grow from cuttings, I thought that unless 

 the branches were removed we should soon 

 have a tangle of young willows. I have 

 been surprised many times at the sudden 

 snapping off of the branches of certain wild 

 willows when I jostled them in impetuous 

 botanical rambles. It is even more surpris- 



