CONTENTS 



PAGES 



Grain— Cross-pollination — Alder Catkins — Flowers of the 

 Ash and the Elm— The Perfect Unity that underlies all 

 Nature's Processes 47 — 57 



CHAPTER V 



SENSITIVE PLANTS 



The "Woolly Bear," or Larva of the Tiger-moth, and its Sense 

 of Touch — The Hedgehog — Defensive Actions of Cater- 

 pillar and Hedgehog — Sense of Touch in Plants— The 

 Sensitive Plant— Grazing Animals and Sensitive Plants- 

 Tempting Green Leaves instantly become Scrubby Fare — 

 Protective Movements— A Caterpillar amongst the Leaves 

 — How the DeUcate Sensitiveness was First Acquired 

 — The Wood-sorrel — Beginning of Sensitiveness in 

 Leaves — A Useful Device— Copper-coloured Foliage — 

 Oxalis sensiiiva — Sensitive Characteristic Evolved 

 from the Sleeping Habit — Explanation of the Shrinking 

 Movement at the Approach and Touch of Animals — 

 Sensitiveness in a Root-tip — The Aerial Roots of an 

 Orchid — Sensitive Tendrils of Climbing Plants — Barberry 

 and its Sensitive Stamens — Beetles within the Flowers — 

 How Tightly the Stamens can Grip an Insect — The 

 Purpose of the Device 58 — 72 



CHAPTER VI 



THE COMMON PRIMROSE [Primula vulgaris) 



The Primrose Bank — Unfolding of the Leaves — Underground 

 Rootstock — The Cowslip — Primrose the most Advanced 

 Member of its Genus — Bird's-eye Primrose — Its Protec- 

 tion against Heavy Dews — Flowers of Primrose and 

 Cowslip in relation to Insects — Two Types of Flowers — 

 Watching the Occasional Bee — Significance of the ' ' Pin- 

 eyed " and the "Thrum-eyed" Flowers — The Proboscis 

 of the Bee — Pollination Efficiently Performed by Insects — 

 Scattering of the Seeds — Winter — The Seedhngs . . 73 — 83 



xi 



