BOTANY FOR YOUN<; PEOPLE. 79 



But I had almost forgotten to mention a very 

 strange plant indeed, the Hedysarum Gyrans, a 

 description of which you will find in the words 

 of Linnasus himself in this book, and which you 

 may read aloud. 



L. The moving plant i?. as Linneus observed, 

 wonderful, on account of its voluntary motion. 

 No sooner, continues he, had the plants raised 

 from seed acquired their tenate leaves, than 

 they began to be in motion this way and that. 

 This movement did not cease during the 

 whole course of their vegetation, nor were 

 they observant of any time, order, or direc- 

 tion ; one leaflet frequently revolved whilst the 

 other on the same petiole, was quiescent , the 

 whole plant was very seldom agitated, and that 

 only during the first year, but sometimes most 

 of the leaves would be in motion at the same 

 time. This motion does not depend on any 

 accidental or external cause, such as touching, 

 heat, cold, light, or darkness, for they will neither 

 excite it nor prevent its continuance. 



SONG OF THE DIADELPHIAN TRIBES. 



Our spendid sails like the butterfly's wing, 



Are gay with the rainbow's hues. ' 



