VARIETY OF ORIGINAL GERMS. 195 



horsetails, pitchers with nicely fitted lids au- 

 tomatically opening in wet and closing in dry 

 weather. On the parched plains of Ceylon, 

 birds sip water therefrom. 



The Passion-flower is so called from a resem- 

 blance to the sacred emblems of the crucifixion. 

 Many of these flowers resemble works of art. A 

 plant in the regions of Panama has the form of 

 a dove with outspread wings and drooping head, 

 as represented by the old masters in the baptism of 

 our Saviour. The cyenoche plant of Surinam has 

 the graceful outline of a swan, with its curving 

 neck and swelling breast. One of these flower- 

 birds shows a head with a white crest curved back, 

 as if to plume its feathers. 



There is no limit to these fanciful forms. The 

 germs of plants, like those of animals, are devel- 

 oped by sexual organs of stamens and pistils, and 

 are classed together in families. 



They appear to manifest parental rejoicing on 

 the birthday of each new-born germ, by hanging 

 out blossoms, like painted and perfumed banners 

 pendent from twigs and stems, and resplendent in 

 the sunshine. 



The seeds of certain plants are disseminated by 

 winds and ^ waters. The cocoanut, a little argo- 

 naut, provisioned with milk and water for a sea 

 voyage, freighted with a life of its own, with its 

 magnetic and diamagnetic currents, impelled by 

 winds and tides, floats over the water, reaching at 



