THE JUMPING BEAN 297 



species of insect. Thus, the leaves of a given plant are 

 the necessary food of the grubs of one or more insects 

 which bite their food; its internal juices serve others 

 which suck ; its roots others ; its nectar in the flower 

 others, which in return serve the plant by carrying away 

 its pollen and fertilising the other plants of the same 

 species which they visit. Protection is sought and ob- 

 tained from the same plant by insects which burrow in 

 its leaves, or roll them up, or cut them into slices and 

 carry them away, or hide in its bark, or in the flowers, 

 or in other parts or burrow for food and shelter into its 

 wood. Others lay their eggs in the soft buds, producing 

 or not producing according to their kind distorted growths, 

 known as " galls " (one plant is known to have as many 

 as thirty species of gall-flies which make use of it). 

 Other insects lay their eggs in the flower-buds and im- 

 mature fruits, or place them on the plant so that the 

 young grubs, when hatched, can at once eat into those 

 soft parts. Others bore into the wood or into hard or 

 fleshy fruits expressly to lay their eggs, or into the ripe 

 seeds. Certain ants live in chambers specially provided 

 by the woody parts of the plant for them, and benefit 

 both themselves and the plant by devouring other insects 

 which seek the plant in order to devour it. In a museum 

 of natural history there should be exhibited at least one 

 plant with specimens and enlarged models of all the 

 insects which depend upon it for food, protection, or 

 nursery, and with accompanying illustrations of the way 

 in which those purposes are served. 



A curious product of the relationship of an insect and 

 a plant is the so-called "jumping bean," which is brought 

 to this country from Mexico, and may be purchased in 

 some of the London shops which deal in "miscellaneous" 

 articles. They have been known for some years, but are 

 becoming now a regular article of commerce. As one buys 



