ON THE RIVERS AND CREEKS. 175 



their great leaves into ribbons, and refuse to be 

 smothered. Some have spines only in their early 

 stages, and lose them as they become older, when 

 their positions are better assured. Even the tree- 

 ferns are armed in such a manner, that they all 

 deserve the name ferox, which has been given to 

 a species of Alsophila. 



Creepers that twine are necessarily repelled by 

 thorns, and probably for that reason are compara- 

 tively rare. Most of the smothering host which 

 comes to the front on the banks of the creek are 

 scramblers. They, as it were, crawl over every- 

 thing, holding on by contrivances which are par- 

 ticularly ingenious. Some push their small shoots 

 through the dense bushes, and then, as a boy in 

 climbing a tree, puts his arms over the branches, they 

 spread out stiff hooks with the points downwards to 

 prevent their slipping back. Others, like Bignonia 

 unguis, can take hold between the spines and 

 keep their leaves at a safe distance. Once these 

 scramblers get a footing there is hardly a limit to 

 their extension. Long whip-like branches spread 

 in every direction, appearing as if continually on 

 the look-out for a resting-place. They pass over 

 thorny bushes and other uncongenial spots, and 

 only when a tree suits them do they hasten to 

 cover it with their flowery pall. 



