128 TEKDEIL-BEAEEES. Chap. IV. 



Echinoct/siis Idbata. — Numerous observations were 

 made on this plant (raised from seed sent me by Prof. 

 Asa Gray), for the spontaneous revolving movements 

 of the intemodes and tendrils were first observed by 

 me in this case, and greatly perplexed me. My obser- 

 vations may now be much condensed. I observed 

 thirty-five revolutions of the intemodes and tendrils ; 

 the slowest rate was 2 hrs., and the average rate, with 

 no great fluctuations, 1 hr. 40 m. Sometimes I tied 

 the intemodes, so that the tendrils alone moved ; at 

 other times I cut off the tendrils whilst very young, 

 so that the intemodes revolved by themselves; but 

 the rate was not thus affected. The course generally 

 pursued was with the sun, but often in an opposite 

 direction. Sometimes the movement during a short 

 time would either stop or be reversed ; and this 

 apparently was due to interference from the light, 

 as, for instance, when I placed a plant close to a 

 window. In one instance, an old tendril, which had 

 nearly ceased revolving, moved in one direction,- 

 whilst a young tendril above moved in an opposite 

 course. The two uppermost intemodes alone revolve ; 

 and as soon as the lower one grows old, only its upper 

 part continues to move. The ellipses or circles swept 

 by the summits of the intemodes are about three inches 

 in diameter; whilst those swept by the tips of the 



flowers. Mr. E. Holland (Hard- garden, where one of the short 



wicke'S ' Science-Gossip,' 1865, p. prickles upon the fruit had 



105) states that " a cucumber grown out into a long, curled 



grew, a few years ago in my own tendiil." 



