44 WONDERS OF PLANT LIFE 



place in the damp soil beneath. As is well known, 

 a large number of tropical Orchids are epiphytical 

 in habit, and by their gay flowers adorn the 

 branches of the forest trees with loveliness. 



The plant is called upon to provide accommo- 

 dation for many of its own kind, but it is to be 

 feared that in a large number of cases the guest 

 is not a welcome visitor. Quite often the host 

 does not suffer greatly from the attentions which 

 are pressed upon it. The mildly parasitic Mistle- 

 toe does not appear to be a great drain on the 

 resources of the trees upon which it grows. The 

 plant selects a wide range of hosts, embracing 

 nearly all kinds of the common deciduous trees. 

 In Britain, at any rate, the Mistletoe is chiefly 

 found on the Black Poplar. The manner in which 

 the parasite is distributed is very interesting. In 

 winter the white berries are largely eaten by 

 birds, and a certain number of the seeds will be 

 likely to adhere to their beaks. To get rid of the 

 encumbrance, the bird cleans his bill by rubbing 

 it backwards and forwards on the bark of a branch. 

 In this way the seed is placed in the best possible 

 position for its purpose. As the seed germinates, 

 roots are sent down into the tissue of the branch 

 on which it rests, and the Mistletoe becomes 

 quickly established. We may see from the leaves 



