AIDS TO FOREST EXTENSION 75 
jured; in fact, this process often aids germination. 
Often this pulp is bright-colored when ripe, to attract 
these animals; but unattractive, in fact, extremely 
unpalatable, before the seeds are ripe, as with the 
persimmon, which is extensively distributed by the 
opossum. Birds are the most active animal seed-dis- 
seminators. They fly over mountains and seas, and 
in their migrations scatter here and there the seeds 
of the plants upon which they feed. 
The rich, oily meat which Nature has stored in 
nuts to feed the young plantlet until it develops 
leaves and roots, and can care for itself, is a much- 
coveted morsel, for which a squirrel is willing to 
work long and hard. Many seeds are overlooked by 
the squirrel, or are buried and forgotten. Animals 
of this kind often store away for the winter more 
provender than they can consume, and of these some 
may sprout and grow. The dissemination of these 
heavy-seeded species is therefore slow. 
Many fruits are so constructed that they will 
float long distances. The coconut is an interesting 
adaptation in this respect. It grows close to the 
ocean, and would crack in falling to the strand were 
it not covered with a husk, called coir. When the 
nut falls, it often bounds into the sea and floats many 
miles with the currents. 
The common Brazil-nut is an interesting fruit. 
