AN APPLICANT FOE ADMISSION. 115 



An event happened. 



I had been meditating on the subject of 

 "Character in Plants," especially on the fan- 

 cied resemblance to reptilian qualities of cer- 

 tain plants as exhibited in the drying process 

 while in press. The Arisaema dracontium and 

 related species were chiefly in mind, marveling 

 how long the curling of the sensitive leaves con- 

 tinued when the pressure was removed, and 

 even when separated from the nourishing root. 

 It reminded of the gruesome quivering of the 

 flesh of frogs and turtles, presumably dead. 



Hurrying around the north side of the house 

 in the June twilight, I stumbled over some- 

 thing, entangling my feet like a piece of wire, 

 and made some remarks of an uncomplimentary 

 nature on the carelessness of boys. Eetuming 

 to the spot on the following morning, to gather 

 it out of the way, the "wire" was found to be 

 a growing one. Taking its several yards of 

 length from the ground, it curled, writhed, and 

 slid from the fingers like a very snake. This 

 resemblance was further accentuated by the 

 terminal buds and the developing leaves, a few 

 inches below, which were much like the pectoral 

 fins of an eel. 



The location of the plant in the garden, be- 

 low the dining-room windows, gave full op- 

 portunity for the observation which speedily 



