138 CONCERNING THE SYCAMORE 



as it does with more southern conditions. The reason 

 for the common Scottish designation of the sycamore 

 must be sought in the ancient connection of Scotland 

 with France, which is responsible for the presence of 

 so many French words in Lowlands Scots. In old- 

 fashioned French plane signified the sycamore, and 

 platane the plane, both being forms of the Latin 

 platanus, from the Greek TrXararo?, a name bestowed 

 on the tree because of its broad leaves. The superficial 

 resemblance of the sycamore and the plane has received 

 scientific recognition by classifying the sycamore as 

 Acer pseudo-platanus the plane-like maple or mock 

 plane. Such resemblances are neither rare nor per- 

 plexing among distinct species of the same family ; as, 

 for example, the so-called acacia (Robinia pseudo- 

 acacia), which, although botanically speaking not a 

 true acacia, yet belongs to the same pea-flower family 

 as the acacia. But when this resemblance occurs 

 between plants of widely separated families, the ques- 

 tion arises at once as to the meaning and origin of 

 such masquerade. When the plant is a humble one, 

 such as the dead nettle (Lamium), the intention seems 

 to be almost certainly protective a kind of 'hands 

 off'!' on the part of an innocuous species which has 

 acquired the appearance of a hurtful one. It affords a 

 nice problem for discussion between teleologists and 

 evolutionists to determine whether the controlling 

 influence is exoteric or esoteric. Even in certain 

 plants of grander stature the object is sometimes pretty 

 obvious. The evergreen oak the holm, hollen, or 



