THE ART OF SEEING THINGS 



woodpeckers, as it might have been if resting 

 directly upon a branch or tree-trunk. Near by was 

 the cocoon of another species (Cecropia) that was 

 fastened directly to the limb; but this was vague, 

 loose, and much more involved and net-like. I 

 have seen the downy woodpecker assaulting one of 

 these cocoons, but its yielding surface and webby 

 interior seemed to puzzle and baffle him. 



I am interested even in the way each climbing 

 plant or vine goes up the pole, whether from right 

 to left, or from left to right, — that is, with the 

 hands of a clock or against them, — whether it is 

 under the law of the great cyclonic storms of the 

 northern hemisphere, which all move against the 

 hands of a clock, or in the contrary direction, like 

 the cyclones in the southern hemisphere. I take 

 pleasure in noting every little dancing whirlwind 

 of a summer day that catches up the dust or the 

 leaves before me, and every little funnel-shaped 

 whirlpool in the swollen stream or river, whether 

 or not they spin from right to left or the reverse. 

 If I were in the southern hemisphere, I am sure 

 I should note whether these things were under the 

 law of its cyclones in this respect or under the 

 law of ours. As a rule, our twining plants and 

 toy whirlwinds copy our revolving storms and go 

 against the hands of the clock. But there are ex- 

 ceptions. While the bean, the bittersweet, the morn- 

 ing-glory, and others go up from left to right, the 

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