130 LIFE OF A TREE. 
ward the stem, as if to take shelter under the 
wing of the adjoining leaves. 
The great botanist Linnzeus first paid scientific 
attention to this phenomenon, which he called 
the “Sleep of Plants ;” and his attention was 
first directed to it in avery singular manner. He 
had received from a scientific friend, the seeds of 
a beautiful lotus flower, which in due time grew 
into elegant plants, adorned with some splendid 
flowers. His gardener, having been absent when 
they came into bloom, immediately on his return 
in the evening was taken by his master to the 
greenhouse, to admire the new and _ splendid 
flower. Great was the astonishment and disap- 
pointment of both, to find on reaching the spot, 
that all the blossoms had disappeared! The 
following morning, on his next visit, all the 
blossoms were again put forth, and the same 
evening had again disappeared. On carefully ex- 
amining the plant, the mystery was all dispelled; 
for it was found that the blossoms, as evening 
came on, withdrew from the dim twilight, and 
folding themselves up, disappeared under the 
drooping foliage of the plant. 
Pursuing the subject further, he was able to 
