Exercises on Lesson IX.
1. Take in twigs of hawthorn, barberry, holly, bramble, and gooseberry. Examine, and sketch them so as to show their protective parts. 2. Grow a small whin bush in a pot and water it daily. Note that the new growth it makes is tender, and that no spines are produced. 3. Some plants are covered with dense woolly hairs. These are seldom eaten by cattle. Can you explain why? 4. Make a list of all the armed plants you know, and tell how each is protected.
X.—THE HORSE POND AGAIN.
Frank and Tom returned from the horse pond one day with their jars filled with curious creatures.
“We took the water beetle back to the pond, Uncle George,” said Frank, “and I almost felt sorry to let such a cruel and greedy monster loose among the other creatures in the pond.”
“You have here creatures even more cruel and greedy than the diving beetle,” said his uncle, looking into the glass jars which the boys had brought.
“Here is the larva of the diving beetle, and a fiercer or greedier creature is not to be found in the whole world.”
Uncle George refilled the three large tanks. He poured the contents of one of the jars into one of the tanks. It contained, besides the larvæ he spoke of, a number of tadpoles, some small stickle-backs, and a great many water snails or whelks.
In addition to these, there were one or two curious insects, with a pair of very long legs. They came to the surface every now and then, and moved their long limbs like oars. Whenever the tank was touched, they would suddenly dive to the bottom. Here they would remain for a short time, then, returning to the surface, would “oar” themselves along as usual.
“What are these queer things, Uncle George?” Tom asked. “They look exactly like little boats.”