16 THE GENUS FICARIA. [part i. 



at hand, I found it was Ranunculus aquatilis^ the 

 water crowfoot. 



In a similar manner my readers may amuse 

 themselves, by identifying the plants they meet 

 with, and they will be surprised to find how 

 easy the task will soon become. I must warn 

 them, however, that they will not find double 

 flowers quite so easy to recognise as single* ones. 

 In double flowers the stamens and carpels are 

 entirely or partially changed into petals; as 

 may be seen in the florists' varieties of Ranun- 

 culus, in the yellow bachelor's buttons, which 

 is a variety of the common buttercup, and in 

 the Fair Maid of France, which is a variety of 

 Ranunculus platanifolius, a specfes found wild on 

 the mountains of Germany. 



THE GENUS FICARIA. 



Pansies, lilies, kingcups, daisies, 

 Let them live upon their praises ; 

 Long as there's a sun that sets, 



Primroses will have their glory ; 

 Long as there are violets, 



They will have a place in story. 

 There's a flower that shall be mine, 

 'Tis the little Celandine. 

 Ill befall the yellow flowers, 

 Children of the flaring hours, 

 Buttercups that will be seen, 



Whether we will see or no ; 

 Others, too, of lofty mien, 



They have done as worldlings do. 

 Stolen praise that should be thine, 

 Little humble Celandine. 



