PLANTS RIDE ON ANIMALS 91 



thus travel around; others ride in the water attached 

 to fish that may happen to swim their way; still 

 others watch for insects on which they may steal a 

 ride; but a favourite device with many is to ride 

 on animals, or even people. 



The kinds of plants which ride on animals must 

 be able to catch hold of the animal as he passes by, 

 or stops to graze, as a boy "hops" a passing car. 

 To this end, plants which travel on animals have 

 many clever tricks whereby they may catch and 

 cling to the passer. Some carry a diversity of 

 hooks, claws, and grapnels. Some have developed 

 certain shapes and devices for clinging; others have 

 formed the most fantastic and demoniacal methods 

 of holding on to the unfortunate animal to which 

 they have attached themselves. 



Among the simpler clingers is the common bur- 

 dock. The seeds of this plant are very troublesome, 

 and have become so well adapted to travelling by 

 using the peculiar, tiny hooks or claws which aid 

 them to cling, that they are very widely distributed 

 over the earth. They mount the tails of horses and 

 cows, cling to the fleeces of sheep and goats; and 

 sometimes even steal a ride on a Jack-rabbit ! Burrs 

 of this type are filled with large seeds, and they 

 remain attached to the animal until they find a suit- 

 able home or place to live, when they drop to the 



