SEED SOWING 213 



are carried away by ants to their lairs, for whose 

 convenience, it is said, the blood-root grows two 

 little handles upon its seeds ; but birds are, perhaps, 

 the more active seed-sowers. 



Strawberries, raspberries, checker and partridge 

 berries, all are favourite foods for birds; but their 

 seeds, with woody coverings, are indigestible and 

 are dropped under trees and shrubs where they 

 germinate the following year. Berries like those 

 of the mistletoe are exceedingly gummy, so that 

 they attach to the bird's beak till they are 

 wiped off upon some branch, there to cling and 

 grow. 



Seeds also cling to the muddy feet of wild-fowl, 

 for transportation free and far, like naughty boys 

 taking a "hitch" behind. The following observa- 

 tions made by Darwin are illuminating: 



He was given the leg of a red-legged partridge, 

 which had adhering to it a ball of earth weighing 

 six and a half ounces. The specimen was already 

 three years old, but Darwin soaked the earth, 

 planted it under a bell-glass, and sprouted 82 young 

 plants, apparently of three distinct species. 



We have learned that water-plants send their 

 seeds downstream, but the water-fowl are very 

 likely the agents which carry them in the opposite 

 direction. Thus, maybe, the fine seeds of our beau- 



