October 181 



the plate will show the four feathery plumes by 

 which the wind wafts the seed through the air. 

 They rise out of the dry capsule, and from it the 

 heavy seed hangs at the end of a slender thread, 

 the whole arrangement being somewhat like a small 

 parachute. The silvery cone is a beautiful object 

 in itself, and when fully ripe, one of these curious 

 seeds emerges from under each of the overlapping 

 scales 



The capsules of the poppy, campanula, and snap- 

 dragon allow their seeds to escape through small 

 pores which, being highly sensitive to dryness and 



COLUMBINE. PIMPERNIiL. 



moisture, open and shut according to the changes 

 in the weather. We can easily observe these small 

 trapdoors under the upper rim of the poppy-head, 

 and in the other plants I have mentioned the 

 openings are in the upper part of each segment 

 of the capsule. The columbine has a five-pouched 

 seedpod opening at one end when ripe, and bending 

 down to sow its contents. 



Space will not allow me to notice the many other 

 modes by which plants perpetuate their species, 

 some by hooked seeds which cling to passing animals, 

 some, like the cotton-grass, by very long silky hairs. 

 Others, and perhaps the most curious of all, are 



