"You are right," said I, "it is very curious. Do you know Jussieu divided all vegetables into three great orders--_Acotyledons_, _Monocotyledons_, and _Dicotyledons_. Ferns belong to the first;[K] they have no visible flowers, and are allied to the sea-weed and mushroom tribe. It is only under the tropics that ferns attain the dimensions of the one you are looking at; in colder regions their height seldom exceeds a few feet. Ferns formed almost the sole vegetation of the primitive world, and we frequently find evidence of some gigantic species which are now extinct." Lucien, being desirous to examine the crosier-shaped stalks, allowed us to get in front of him, then crept under the fern. As the leaves of this shrub are furnished underneath with long prickles, when he wanted to rejoin us he found himself caught. The more he struggled the worse he became entangled. He cried out to me in a most distressed voice, and not knowing what had happened, I lost no time in going back to him. I found him fighting hard against the thorns which were scratching his face and hands. L'Encuerado and Sumichrast also came to his assistance. I disentangled the boy as quickly as I could; but already he had several scratches over his face and hands. "How came you not to think," I said, "that by struggling in this way you would only the more entangle yourself?" "I saw you all leaving me; I scarcely knew what held me back, and I got quite frightened; but I'm not crying, papa, and yet the fern-prickles scratch terribly." L'Encuerado turned up his sleeves, and, seizing his _machete_, rushed at the fern. "Are not you ashamed to attack a child?" he cried. "It's all very fine to display your bishop's crosier and then behave in this way! Try and tear my coat! I know you wouldn't dare to do it! Never mind, though! I'll punish you for your malice." The poor plant, alas! was soon cut down; thus the growth of years was destroyed in a few minutes.