976 Marvels of the Universe 
for several cold days which follow ; nevertheless, it is a sign that the forces of life are becoming 
impatient. 
A few consecutive mild days work wonders on these extra buoyant buds, whose tissues have 
developed some special cells, which during sunlight, in some curious manner, become filled with air, 
causing the bud to become lighter than the surrounding water. Just what happens to them is 
shown in the four photographs on page 977. There they are seen quietly rising to the surface, 
with a little bubble of oxygen at their base. 
On reaching the surface, they float about and rapidly increase in size ; and it becomes apparent 
that the scale-leaves, which remained so tightly wrapped around the buds while at the bottom of 
Photo by) [V. J. Ward, FES. 
THE FROGBIT IN AUTUMN. 
The Frogbit prepares for winter by the formation of buds at the end of long shoots. Into these buds all the materials 
from the leaves is packed, and ultimately they are buried in the mud at the bottom. There they lie snug and safe when their 
pool is thickly frozen, and await the coming of spring. 
the pool, are now beginning to expand, revealing the tender green leaves within, which have been 
so thoroughly protected. 
It is then most interesting to watch the daily development of one of these floating buds. In the 
accompanying set of photographs (pages 974 and 975) I have endeavoured to show how in the 
course of eleven days (from March 25th to April 4th) a bud has changed into a little Frogbit plant, 
which now only has to expand its leaves more fully, and to throw runners into the water bearing 
tufts of leaves, to resemble almost exactly the autumn plant which gave it its origin. We cannot 
say the parent plant, for it is not a new plant produced from the seed of two parents ; it is simply 
a detached portion of the original plant, which has emerged from hibernation with all the vigour of 
a young Frogbit, and will soon display its characteristic white flowers upon the surface of 
the pool. 
