DARWINIAN JEST 



or an old, now extinct Continental genus ; the utter want of 

 fixed system upon which genera are and must alivays be 

 formed, will always throw insuperable obstacles in the way 

 of this inquiry — it is easy enough with regard to the Laurels, 

 and other things having no continental affinities. 



Many more botanical relations required careful analysis 

 before definite conclusions as to origin could be reached, and 

 Insular Floras were a study of much concern during the follow- 

 ing years, capped with the wish that it were possible to write 

 a new Essay on the subject. He dealt with it again, however, 

 in the 1881 address on Geographical Distribution. 



At the same time he was always ready to meet his friend's 

 challenge with some excellent scientific fooling. To test the 

 hypothesis that bright seeds attract birds which thus help in 

 their wide dispersal, he recommended Darwin to pass some 

 through a fowl. Darwin thereupon experimented with seeds of 



the Mimoseous tree, of which the pods open and wind spirally 

 outwards and display a lining like yellow silk studded with 

 these crimson seeds, and look gorgeous. 



But he was disappointed. 



I gave two seeds to a confounded old cock, but his gizzard 

 ground them up. . . . Please Mr. Deputy Wriggler explain 

 to me why these seeds and pods hang long and look gorgeous, 

 if Birds only grind up the seeds, for I do not suppose they 

 can be covered with any pulp. 



Hooker then replied (December 14, 1866) : 



The scarlet seed is that of Adenanthera pavonine*, a native 

 of India. I am well acquainted with its self and with its 

 habits from the year — oo [minus infinity]. At that rather 

 (geologically) early period it was a low bush, and the seeds 

 were all black (an allied species has seeds half black and half 

 red, which proves this statement). Gallinaceous birds were, 

 after its creation, introduced into the part of the Globe where 

 I first saw it, and these sought the seeds with avidity : so 

 that finally only those vars. of climbing habit survived 

 and thus got out of the way of the gallinaceous birds (which 

 are not perchers) ; its chances of dissemination being thus 



