Fruits and Seeds. 



185 



while, on the other hand, the lower end of the rod 

 passes for a short distance between the seed-capsule 

 and the central pillar. The seed-capsule has also 

 near its apex a curious tuft of silky hair (fig. 70, c\ 

 the use of which I will not here stop to discuss. 

 As the result of all this complex mechanism the 

 seeds when ripe are flung to a distance which is 



Fig. 71. WOOD VETCH ( Vicia sylvaticd\. 



surprising when we consider how small the spring 

 is. In their natural abode it is almost impossible 

 to find the seeds when once thrown. I therefore 

 brought some into the house and placed them on 

 my billiard table. They were thrown from one 

 end completely over the other, in some cases more 

 than 20 feet. 



4. Some species of Vetch (fig. 71), again, and the 



