304 WILD FLOWEBS OF 



marking the commencing decline of the .^Estival Flo- 

 ralia after the finishing of the hay-harvest ; while the 

 Bindweeds (Convolvulus arvensis et sepium?) show their 

 purple and white bells, like fairy cups bearing dewy 

 nectar on every side, continuing far into September. 

 The field Convolvulus scatters its pink-stained bells 

 carelessly on the ground or upon sunny banks, but 

 the great Bindweed mounts high up into hedges and 

 willow trees, its large white corolla (flesh-coloured in 

 maritime spots) seen from afar even in the dusk, and 

 almost emulating tropical flowers in beauty. 



But enough for the present of docks, plantains, 

 tares, vetches, darnel, and other " furrow weeds," 

 though we cannot entirely omit allusion to the well- 

 known Stinging Nettle (TTrtica dioica). This is one 

 of those common and rough-looking plants generally 

 disregarded as unworthy of notice ; so that even the 

 late professor MAETIJST remarks, that " such vulgar 

 ill-humoured plants may forgive your passing them 

 by." But however dissightly the splenetic nettle 

 may appear, and however unpleasant the contact with 

 it may be, it is to be remembered that upwards of 

 fifty species of insects, including a great number of 

 caterpillars, derive their entire sustenance from this 

 apparently useless plant; and as these insects in their 

 turn provide for a variety of birds, and send forth nu- 

 merous brilliant butterflies to adorn the face of nature, 

 it is absolutely necessary that the plant they feed on 

 should be able to afford them ample protection, and 

 surround them with a castle of defence. " "Watch 

 the beauteous Vanessa Atalanta butterfly, lovely as 

 the rose over which she flutters see her sporting in 

 the balmy air as if she had derived her origin from 



