426 THE UNIVERSE. 



the Canary Islands. The water fell like copious rain from 

 its tufted foliage— a fact which botanists sought to ex- 

 press by calling it Ccesalpinia x>hiTiom. Collected at the 

 foot of the tree, it formed a kind of pond, from which the 

 inhal)itants of the vicinity furnished themselves with water.^ 



At first I suspected some exaggeration in the accounts 

 given liy travellers as to the transpiration of this tree, but 

 after seeing an arborescent Fuchsia in one of the green- 

 houses of the botanical garden of Rouen rain down so 

 much Avater upon the plants round about it that it was 

 necessary to remove them, I have believed the statements. 



The insensible transpiration is demonstrated by the 

 most simple experiment. It is only necessary to place a 

 plant under a dry bell-glass, the base of which is plunged 

 in mercury. In a few seconds all the inner surface of the 

 glass is covered with tiny drops of water, which become 

 condensed and run downwards. 



The leaves of other plants, more tenacious of the per- 

 spiration they distil, collect it in little cups, which are 

 found at their ends, sometimes constantly ojoen, sometimes 

 closing and opening by means of a movable lid. 



In the first rank we ought to place the famous Ne- 

 jtenthes dht'ilhitorhi. Its leaves disjjlay a strong mid-rib, 

 which extends beyond the Iilade and ends in an elegant 

 cylindrical cup, provided with a hinged lid, which spon- 

 taneously opens and closes according to the state of the 



1 In tlie Historia de la Conquista da las Islas Canarias, hj Ju;iu de Abreu 

 Galiiido, it i.s stated that there was at Hierro (Ferro) a laiii-el-tree which, aceoi-d- 

 ing to M. Eouliu, \Yas perliaps only the Laurus fastens, which furnished the 

 natives of the island with drinking water. This iiuid distilled drop by drop from 

 the foliage, and was preserved in cisterns. This marvellous vegetable fountain 

 was, during part of the day, enveloped in a cloud, from the. bosom of which it 

 drew its supply of water. But the tradition of the tree C[Uoted by the old his- 

 torian of the seventeenth century is no longer found among the conquerors of the 

 island. 



