These several facts, showing the independence of the nocturnal movements of the leaves and cotyledons on the same plant, and on plants belonging to the same genus, lead to the belief that the cotyledons have acquired their power of movement for some special purpose. Other facts lead to the same conclusion, such as the presence of pulvini, by the aid of which the nocturnal movement is continued during some weeks. In Oxalis the cotyledons of some species move vertically upwards, and of others vertically downwards at night; but this great difference within the same natural genus is not so surprising as it may at first appear, seeing that the cotyledons of all the species are continually oscillating up and down during the day, so that a small cause might determine whether they should rise or sink at night. Again, the peculiar nocturnal movement of the left-hand cotyledon of Trifolium strictum, in combination with that of the first true leaf. Lastly, the wide distribution in the dicotyledonous series of plants with cotyledons which sleep. Reflecting on these several facts, our conclusion seems justified, that the nyctitropic movements of cotyledons, by which the blade is made to stand either vertically or almost vertically upwards or downwards at night, has been acquired, at least in most cases, for some special purpose; nor can we doubt that this purpose is the protection of the upper surface of the blade, and perhaps of the central bud or plumule, from radiation at night. CHAPTER VII. MODIFIED CIRCUMNUTATION: NYCTITROPIC OR SLEEP MOVEMENTS OF LEAVES. Conditions necessary for these movements—List of Genera and Families, which include sleeping plants—Description of the movements in the several Genera—Oxalis: leaflets folded at night—Averrhoa: rapid movements of the leaflets—Porlieria: leaflets close when plant kept very dry—Tropaeolum: leaves do not sleep unless well illuminated during day—Lupinus: various modes of sleeping—Melilotus: singular movements of terminal leaflet—Trifolium—Desmodium: rudimentary lateral leaflets, movements of, not developed on young plants, state of their pulvini—Cassia: complex movements of the leaflets—Bauhinia: leaves folded at night—Mimosa pudica: compounded movements of leaves, effect of darkness—Mimosa albida, reduced leaflets of—Schrankia: downward movement of the pinnae—Marsilea: the only cryptogam known to sleep—Concluding remarks and summary—Nyctitropism consists of modified circumnutation, regulated by the alternations of light and darkness—Shape of first true leaves.