186 .BOTANY OF THE LIVING PLANT 



to those special modifications of the plant which arise in relation to the 

 environment. The advantage which certain features confer upon the 

 plants that show them often appears obvious enough. But it should 

 be realised that their recognition as adaptations is no more than an 

 assumption, unless it is known that their origin has been really con- 

 nected with the advantage they are seen to confer. Such knowledge 

 is rare, even in cases where the advantage gained seems perfectly 

 clear. Hence the recognition of characters as adaptive is rarely well 

 founded. This applies to many of the peculiarities of form discussed 

 in this chapter. They have been grouped under the heading of 

 adaptations for convenience. The study of " adaptation " is an 

 attractive phase of biology. But it has led to much facile, or even 

 sentimental writing, which has in it little of the scientific spirit, and 

 still less of true scientific method. 



