290 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



there are always being produced a number of aerial 

 roots which appear to be wandering about in search 

 of something. They appear to twist to one side 

 and then to another, now bending at an angle in 

 any direction, and generally smelling out as it were 

 for a congenial holdfast. Now they will run along 

 a branch for a short distance and then, as if dis- 

 satisfied, raise their sensitive points and go farther 

 or even free themselves entirely. Another time 

 you will apparently see the point about to take 

 hold, and a few hours afterwards find it moving off 

 in another direction. All these things show that 

 these plants are not only possessed of feeling, but 

 almost certainly of taste and smell also. 



Climbers are not wanting in the same faculties. 

 They refuse to attach themselves to dead trees, 

 and will have nothing to do with rotten sticks. 

 Even the liking for one soil above another is an 

 example of taste. Theoretically we like those 

 things which are good for us food that is suitable 

 to our constitutions, elements which go to build up 

 the tissues. That plants should have similar tastes 

 is only to be expected ; their sensitive root-points 

 must have the power of choice, and that they make 

 use of it is obvious. 



In regard to smell, we know that certain gases 

 are disliked by plants. They fold their leaves 



