138 LIFE OF A TREE. 
the plant loves not the unshorn brilliancy of the 
sun’s rays, however much dependent on its heat,— 
is the famous Desmodium, or Hedysarum gyrans. 
Let us watch its movements. Its leaves are sub- 
divided into two little oblong ones at the side, 
and one large leaflet in the centre. The move- 
ments take place in the little leaflets, the other 
being less actively moved. They are of a very 
odd description :— First, one of these little or- 
gans rises by a series of little jumps like the 
minute-hand of a watch, until it has reached a 
certain height, then it begins to fall, and the 
opposite one rises in its place, and so on alter- 
nately; but the mid-leaflet is not altogether 
quiet, we see it first move a little to the right, 
then a little to the left. These motions are, 
however, very gradual and even slow in compari- 
son with the others. If we count the movements 
of the little leaflets, they resemble, even in point 
of time, the minute-hand motions of a watch, for 
they are about sixty in the minute! During the 
whole period of our stay by the side of this wonder- 
ful plant, it has never ceased these dancing move- 
ments; and though we were to linger there during 
the night, and watch morning in, should we find 
