The Making of Species 



" The method of the clovers and trefoils is quite 

 different. When circumstances are favourable 

 and enemies few, they will form large-leaved 

 luxuriant clumps, with fine heads of blossom ; 

 but where grazing animals abound they have 

 the power of adapting themselves to altered 

 circumstances. They creep so closely along the 

 ground that the teeth of the grazing animal can- 

 not pick them up between the surrounding grass, 

 and they produce leaves so small and short- 

 stalked that to eat them would be like nibbling 

 the pile off velvet. Any clover or trefoil thus 

 growing in self-defence is accepted as the 

 ' shamrock ' of Ireland ; and it is certainly a 

 fine emblem for a race which regards itself 

 as surviving in spite of incessant oppression. 



" These are the reasons, however, why the 

 grasses and clovers or trefoils continue to enrich 

 old pastures when most of the other plants dis- 

 appear, with the exception of daisies and butter- 

 cups, and the acid sorrels." 



We should be glad to hear how Mr Robinson 

 accounts for the conspicuous flowers in the 

 species of "prickly pear" (Euphorbia), which is 

 so abundant in India, and which is not browsed 

 upon by animals. 



We regret that we are not able to devote more 

 space to this most interesting theory. We can 

 only add that, even if it fail to become widely 

 accepted, it is of great value as showing that it 



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