92 CHAPTER XII. 



explode, when a small fruit like that of Ridmis has 

 so much strength. 



Lubbock, " Flowers, Fruits, and Leaves," p. 53, 

 strangely enough omits Ricinus from his list of plants 

 which fling their seeds to a distance. These are 

 Land Cress (Cardamine), Dog Violet, Geranium, 

 Vetch (Vicia), Broom (Sarothamnus), Balsam 

 (Impatiens), Woodsorrel (Oxalis), Squirting Gourd 

 (Ecbalium), and two or three others, including the 

 Sand-box just mentioned. If the Violet can project 

 its seed ten feet, and the Squirting Gourd twenty, it 

 is probable that the Castor Oil fruit is able to throw 

 fifty feet or more on level ground, if I may judge 

 from the violence with which they are flung across a 

 room. 



The seeds of Eicinus bear a striking resemblance 

 to a beetle, of which the caruncle or protuberance at 

 the narrower end forms the head. It is not known 

 whether the aim of the plant is to have its seeds eaten 

 by birds, or on the contrary to prevent birds from 

 eating them. It seems to me that a bird which ate 

 one of these imitation insects would be likely to avoid 

 them ever afterwards, as the small boy did in 

 " Masterman Eeady." 



A species of silkworm lives on this plant. It is 

 not found possible to prevent the eggs from hatching 

 in the Winter ; and this has caused the culture of the 

 insect to be abandoned. 



There is a legend that branches of Eicinus were 

 strewn before Christ on his entry into Jerusalem ; 

 hence the specific name " Palma Christi " of some 

 botanists. 



Of the true Euphorbias with milky juice, that 



