DISPERSION OF SEEDS 149 



pucca buildings and the tops of trees like Palms. 

 Ruins of temples and palatial buildings completely 

 destroyed by their growth are common sights in 

 villages and towns which were once very flourishing. 

 The seeds in passing ihrough the stomach of these 

 birds have their germinating power improved instead 

 of being impaired. In fact, the seeds which have not 

 passed through the alimentary canal of the birds are 

 difficult to germinate. Birds like heron, snipe, &c., 

 which frequent marshy places, carry with the mud 

 enclosed in their claws seeds of marsh plants, and 

 transport them from place to place. This accounts 

 for the rapid dispersion within the last few years of 

 Eicliornia crassipes (Plate ni)-^which, however, are 

 also largely propagated by resting buds and runners 

 — over the shallow tanks, pools, and marshes of Cal- 

 cutta and its neighbourhood. Rail-roads and boats 

 are no less important transporting and disseminating 

 agents. A few well-known examples of plants which 

 have been introduced in this country from America 

 and other foreign countries through the agency of 

 man may fittingly close this chapter; such as Cin- 

 chona, anaras or Pine-apple, Papaw, Potato, Tobacco, 

 bhutta or Maize, ata, ghritakumari, natkan or 

 Anatto, and lanka or Cayenne pepper. It will in- 

 terest readers to learn that pathar-kucha, which is 

 now so common all over Bengal, was first introduced 

 by Lady Canning in the gardens of the Government 

 House, Calcutta (Dr. W. H. Gregg's Textbook of 

 Indian Botany), 



