92 USEFUL BIRDS. 



when the tree falls. Lacking the nesting sites, protection, 

 and shelter once aftbrded them among the trees, they must 

 find other shelter, or perish. The interests of birds and 

 trees are identical, and each must protect the other for the 

 good of all. Birds are conspicuously useful in distributing 

 the seed, and in planting, pruning, and protecting the trees. 



THE FOREST PLANTERS. 



If we take a white pine cone, containing seeds, break it 

 open and examine a seed, we find that it is enveloped in a 

 membrane with a wing-like appendage. Xow take the seed 

 and toss it into the air, and it will descend to the ground with 

 a rotary motion, like that of a pickerel 

 spoon when drawn through the water. 

 As the seed descends, its wing in rotat- 

 Fig.so.— Thewiugeaseed ing fomis a Spiral plane at an angle with 



of the white pine. ,, ■,. ,. p-ji j 



the direction oi its descent, serving as 

 a parachute to sustain it in the air. If there is the slightest 

 l)reeze, the seed floats off upon it and descends diagonally 

 to the ground. The phenomenon is much the same as that 

 observed in falling seeds of the ash and some other deciduous 

 trees. Such seeds are winged, like the pine seed, for dis- 

 tribution. Although they will not float on a gentle breeze, 

 like thistle or dandelion seeds, still, in a strong wind they 

 are carried fifteen or twenty rods, or more. When pine 

 seeds fall to the ground they soon separate from their wings. 

 A heavy washing rain or the foot of some animal ma}^ bury 

 them with earth mould, or falling leaves may cover them, 

 and the planting is done. Should they fall upon the surface 

 of a lake, the gentle breeze would waft them along over the 

 surface, like a fleet of little boats, to islands or distant shores ; 

 should they fell upon a stream, they would float away with 

 the current. 



Although the seeds of many forest trees do not grow their 

 own wings, we find them as widely distributed as the seeds 

 of the pine. Notice the distribution of the Avild cherry along 

 the roadsides, In spring we see here and there, on bushes 

 or trees, the webs of the tent caterpillar. They are usually 

 found upon the apple and wild cherrv ; and if, late in May, 



