6 
N Air RE XOTES 
There is another kind of movement for tlie purpose of matur- 
ing and finally sowing the seed, or placing it in such a condition 
that it may germinate, incidentally alluded to in describing the 
action of the creeping stem of the Wall Toad-flax, which can be 
studied in the Cyclamen and the \'iolet as well. In the first, when 
the fruit is maturing, the peduncle assumes a closely spiral form, 
which, as the base of it is attached still to the corni, brings it 
down close upon, frequently into, the soft humus which overlays 
the surface of the soil in which it is rooted. Presently, by the 
sudden bursting open of the seed-vessel, the pearl-like seeds 
are scattered around and some are planted. The Violet also 
shortens and thickens its stalk, and by this means brings its 
matured seed-pod close to the soil, which when it is ripe bursts, 
scattering some but sowing a great many of its seeds. The 
Pansy and cultivated Viola both behave somewhat in this way, 
but the action is not spontaneous, but must be brought about by 
artificial means, and so will be taken in the second section of 
this article. 
Perhaps the most interesting of all plant motions may be 
observed in the action of all climbing plants, and these can be 
watched and studied without the aid of a microscope. Some 
plants climb by simply embracing spirally any adjacent object, 
others by tendrils, which are modified leaves, a patent example 
being the leaf of the fine climbing Groundsel, Mutisia decurvens, 
where the leaves each terminate by a wiry climbing midrib 
extended beyond the apex of the leaf. Others, to continue, are 
what is termed epiphytal, climbing by aerial roots, as the Ivy in 
temperate climes and the Vanilla and many more in the Tropics. 
A third class by the combination of these three methods. 
The only British Cucumber, Bryonia dioica, common in our 
hedgerows, affords an easily accessible example. This may be 
best studied thus : Any hot summer day go out into the country 
and cut three or four of the stronger - growing shoots of this 
plant, about i8 in. long, and place them in a vase of tepid 
water. Next, arrange a sheet of white paper by pinning it to the 
wall, first ruling upon it some parallel lines from top to bottom, 
and then in front of it stand the vessel containing the bryony 
shoots, so that they may be in the full sunlight. Now take up a 
position opposite and sit quietly watching what takes place. As 
soon as the Bryony has recovered itself and drunk up some of 
the water, the long bifurcated tendrils will be seen to rise from 
their bent position and become somewhat rigid ; in a moment 
more they will move up and down and from side to side, with a 
jerky motion, and if they are then furnished with some thin sticks 
they will presently become attached to them and be at rest. 
This motion is also exhibited by the Cucumber, Melon, and 
Gourd, and may be easily watched in a cucumber-pit on a warm 
day, especially if the air is moist, by fixing up the ruled sheet of 
paper in such a position that the tendril under observation is 
between it and the spectator. Sometimes the tendril moves in a 
