188 



EYE SPY 



tendency to its offspring, and has therefore sur- 

 vived in place of its ancient fellows, and is the 

 type perpetuated or " selected " by nature. Such 

 a tendril, then, is a modified leaf. How is it in 

 the pea ? Here we find four leaflets in two oppo- 

 site pairs, but no odd leaflet at the end of the main 

 stalk, such as we see in almost all other plants of 



its family. But in place of 

 this leaflet we find a branch- 



ing tendril reach- 

 ing out on all sides for 

 conquest. How quietly 

 by the aid of these eager 

 arms the sweet-pea climbs to the top of its brush ! 

 In the common catbrier or smilax we see two 

 slender thread-like tendrils growing from the base 

 of each leaf. Here we have another modification, 

 a development of the "stipule," that tiny pointed 

 growth common to many leaves, and particularly 

 notable at the base of a rose leaf. Still another 

 plan has been evolved in the grape-vine. If we 



