40 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 



ulary, or both) . Evolution has left no chink or 

 crevice unfilled, unoccupied, no probability un- 

 tried, no possibility unachieved. 



The nearest weed suggested this trend of 

 thought and provided all I could desire of ex- 

 amples ; but the thrill of discovery and the artistic 

 delight threatened to disturb for the time my 

 solemn application of these ponderous truisms. 

 The weed alongside had had a prosperous life, 

 and its leaves were fortunate in the unadulterated 

 sun and rain to which they had access. At the 

 summit all was focusing for the consummation of 

 existence: the little blossoms would soon open 

 and have their one chance. To all the winds of 

 heaven they would fling out wave upon wave of 

 delicate odor, besides enlisting a subtle form of 

 vibration and refusing to absorb the pink light 

 • — thereby enhancing the prospects of insect vis- 

 itors, on whose coming the very existence of this 

 race of weeds depended. 



Every leaf showed signs of attack: scallops 

 cut out, holes bored, stains of fungi, wreaths of 

 moss, and the insidious mazes of leaf-miners. 

 But, like an old-fashioned ship of the line which 

 wins to port with the remnants of shot-ridden 

 sails, the plant had paid toll bravely, although un- 



