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GLIMPSES IX TO PLAXT-LIFE 



work, the bigiiotiia and pintts with membraneous 

 wings, the cotton-plant seed with long hairs, and 

 the Lollo)nia with hairs that are resolved into 

 mucilage when wetted, are all worth special study. 

 When a small portion of colloniia seed is moistened 

 and placed in a microscope one may see the rapid 

 change being effected ; that which had been a hard 



HIGNONIA SKED. 



dry atom suddenly throws out coils of gum, like 

 watch springs, and a novice is led to ask, "Is the 

 thing alive ? " so full of motion does the object 

 appear. 



We may regard a seed under various aspects. 

 As a special means of continuing the life of a 

 plant, one of its modes of reproduction, as a special 

 means of tiding a plant over a season that would 



