194 IRambles witfo IRature Students 



SEED MIMICRY 



It is rather difficult to imagine for what purpose 

 seeds of certain plants have been created with such 

 a strong resemblance to insects, shells, twigs, and 

 other objects. In the drawing, a land shell {Helix 

 Lapicida) is shown together with the seed of Medicago 



HELIX LAPICIDA AND CATERPILLAR SEED 



MEDICAGO HELIX. (Natural size). 



helix. It will be seen that the one is a counterpart 

 of the other. The curly seed of another species 

 of Medicago instantly reminds one of the large green 

 caterpillars which abound in cabbage plants, and 

 whose habit it is to curl up the moment they are 

 touched. 



The seeds ot many plants strongly resemble 

 beetles, and others are like hairy spiders. We have 

 already noticed the bird's-foot trefoil as one of 

 these mimicking plants, and many others might 

 be mentioned. It may be that birds, deceived by 

 the appearance of these seeds, take them for 

 insects, and finding they have been mistaken drop 

 the seeds at a distance from the parent plant, 

 and thus ensure their dispersal into fresh soil and 

 surroundings. 



