FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE 



stomach, probably germinate. The nuthatch in an 

 indirect manner also frequently becomes a planter. 

 Having twisted off their boughs a cluster of beech- 

 nuts, this curious bird resorts to some favourite tree, 

 whose bole is uneven, and endeavours by a series of 

 manoeuvres to peg it into one of the crevices of the 

 bark. During the operation it oftentimes falls to the 

 ground, and is caused to germinate by the moisture 

 of winter. Many small beeches are found growing 

 near the haunts of the nuthatch, which have evidently 

 been planted in the .manner described." 1 



Not only do the birds and small quadrupeds assist 

 in the dispersion of seeds in the way just indicated 

 but even to a much greater extent. As, for instance, 

 we have seen amongst the droppings of birds the 

 small undigested seeds of pulpy fruits which they 

 devoured, which seeds retained all their powers of 

 germination, especially of elderberries and mulberries. 

 This mode of dispersion is undoubtedly a very ex- 

 tensive one in practice. Neither can we ignore alto- 

 gether the service which some insects may render in 

 the dispersion of minute organisms. To what extent 

 this may be carried it is difficult to determine, but we 

 may give an illustration. It is not an unusual cir- 

 cumstance to find, when examining a species of black 

 mould or of Torula, growing -on rotten wood, that 



1 " The Zoologist," p. 442. 



