NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES 



something curiously animal-like in its visit of 

 inspection. An unforgettable sight is a flight of 

 clematis fruits each a nutlet tipped with a long 

 white feathery plume. It is the hoary appearance 

 of the ripe fruits, massed together on the hedge, that 

 gives the plant one of its common names, Old-Man's- 

 Beard. When the fruits are set free by the breeze, 



SCATTERING OF DANDELION-DOWN AND THISTLE-DOWN. 



Two small spiders with gossamer parachutes are also seen. 



the plumes are often entangled in long rows, which 

 float off with a beautiful undulating motion, like 

 silver serpents in the air. 



Another kind of parachute is seen in the winged 

 fruits of the maple and the ash and the elm, and 

 some other trees. In the case of the maple there is 

 a heavy nutlet at one end ; the other is prolonged 

 like an insect's wing. If we throw the fruit into the 



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