NATURAL HISTORY. 
289 
fprig between the leaves was found to caufe 
them to clofe by pairs fucceflively to the top 
of each fprig, and to continue in this H'ate 
fome time : but the- next day the leaves on 
two or three fprigs were again expanded, ex- 
cept thofe on that where the aqua-fortis had 
been dropped, being withered Irom the place 
upwards, although they continued green 
downwards. A pair being fuddenly cut off 
with feiffars, the next pair above and below 
immediately clofed, and after a little time all 
on the fame fprig followed the example, 
which extended even to thofe on other fprig?. 
One of the harder branches being cut, emit- 
ted a liquor, which was very clear, and of 
a bright greenifli colour, bitter in tafte, and 
fomewhat refembling that of liquorice, d'he 
above experiments were made by Dr. Hook 
on fome fenfitive plants growing in a garden 
in St. James’s park. 
In the paffage of the iflhmus from Nom- 
bre de Dios to Panama, in America, there is 
related to he a whole wood full of lenlitive 
plants, which being touched, dole their 
leaves with a rattling noife, and thus twiil 
thcmfelves into a winding figure. 
B b 
TME 
