An.iri.inox 43 



the orchids by absorbing' water frcnn the moist air 

 ill the humid forests where it is found. 



The absorption by the long, hanging, grey roots 

 of the orchids in one case, and b>- the finely-divided 

 lea\es and stems in the (jther, are both instances 

 of the wonderful wa)' in which Nature " adapts " 

 the parts of a [)lant to its re([uircments. 



It often happens that seeds, blown hither and 

 lliither by the wind, chance to fall upon places 

 w hich are quite unsuitable to their mode of growth ; 

 then we have an opportunity of seeing how their 

 power of adaptation enables them to triumph over 

 almost insuperable difficulties. 



I have observed a tiiu' i)lant of groundsel 

 growing out of a chink in a wall where there 

 was scarcely any soil fn^m which it could derive 

 nourishment, contriving to live on, however, and 

 make the best of its hard lot. Its stem, which 

 should have been a foot high, could onl\- attain 

 about two inches, and instead of dozens of leaves 

 it had but four, and \et it sur\i\ed and even 

 produced two small flowers, thus touchingly dis- 

 playing its power of adaptation. 



Another more remarkable instance which occurs 



