128 Scientific Intelligence. 
far stronger, as branch after branch cannot separately break. It is this 
Seaticty which saves both simple = branched tendrils from being torn 
away faring stormy weather. I have more than once gone on purpose, 
during a gale, to watch a Bryony ca in an exposed hedge, with its 
tendrils attached to the surrounding bushes; and as the thick or thin 
branches were tossed to and fro by “the wind, the attached tendrils, had 
they not been excessively elastic, would have been instantly torn off and 
the plant thrown prostrate. But as it was, the Bryony safely rode out 
the gale, like a uP ean two anchors down and a a long range of cable 
ahead, to serve as as as she surges to the storm,” 
Moreover, while acid tendrils soon shrink up or wither and fall 
off, as we observe in the Gra apevine, Vi rginia Creeper, &c., these same 
ee poss 
This tendril had five 5 seg etc of equal thickness and of 
apparently equal strength ; so that this one tendril, after having been ex- 
posed during ten years to the weather, would have resisted a strain of 
ten pounds.” 
Our space will not allow even an abstract of Darwin’s account of 
the admirable adaptations and curious behavior of various tendri ils, 
even of some very common plants; as for instance of the familiar 
Cobea scandens, in which (the stem and the petioles being motionless) 
the great compound tendril borne at the summit of the leaf executes large 
circular sweeps with remarkable rapidity, carrying round an ——_ 
flexible grapuel, consisting of its fine subdivisions, from 50 to 100 1 
number, which are Nery sensitive even to a slight touch, bending in = ie 
minutes toward the touched side, so that they clasp twigs very penne 
and all tipped with minute, double or alee single, sharp hooks, 
which catch in little inequalities, and may pre hile. tendril- branchlels 
from being dragged away by the rapid eianing movement before their 
irritability. has time to act, while the still free on ses to arrange 
themselves, by various queer and complicated movement so as to secure 
the most advantageous hold; then smneencting spirall ring 
other portions up within reach of the support, until, all are «inextricably 
knotted and fastened, and finally growing stouter, rigid and strong, bind- 
ings the sa pias to its suppor 
annot omit all mention of ee nyse a not uncommon 
ribes. 
turn from the light, as in many other cases 5 ; they will, clasp smooth 
sticks, but soon lose their hold and cee 
fissured, or porous surface alone satisfies fs ‘heir young tips seek and 
crawl into dark holes and crevices, in the manner of roots; then 
develop their hooked extremity,; and, especially when aa meet with 
any fibrous matter, the hook swells into seneere ee =“ cellular tissue, 
which first adhere to the fibres by a viscid cement, and then grow so 8 
to envelop them. This tendril can do nothing with a smooth —— ee 
