1902 So7ne AtUiwin Wild Floivers 269 



I have only to add that the specimen here figured I 

 have presented to the Zoological Museum in the University 

 of Edinburgh, where it now is, exactly as seen in this 

 photograph. 



Some Autumn Wild Flowers. 



By W. Percival Westell, M.B.O.U. 



The field naturalist, like the sportsman, has his opening 

 and closing days ; he remembers when he bloodlessly 

 stalked certain wild creatures, as the sportsman looks back 

 upon some record, or rare, "bag." I have stated that the 

 field naturalist has his closing days, but has he ? From 

 January i to December 31 has he any close season ? Is he 

 rather not constantly on the move throughout the whole 

 365 days of the year ? When I write closing days, however, 

 I mean to imply that the field naturalist has his busy season 

 and his quiet season, and probably — if at all — the autumn 

 may best be designated as the latter. Thus it comes about 

 that the wild flowers of autumn do not produce much 

 material for an essay, and yet when one rambles by the 

 Country-side in search of practical notes for the writing up 

 of such an essay, the list of wild flowers found still blossom- 

 ing may assume large proportions. But in this instance 

 it is not my intention to bore the reader with a mere 

 catalogue of wild flowers found in bloom during the autumn, 

 nor to give a list of those flowers which may reasonably 

 be looked for at that season, but rather to remark upon 

 a few species which are generally found in flower during 

 the autumn months. A great deal depends upon the season : 

 an early frost or two soon cuts off a great many flowers 

 which, try as they will, cannot revive sufficiently during the 

 day to rear themselves, warmed though they may be by the 

 autumn sunshine. 



Although the thistles are mostly seeded and the parachute- 

 like seed-heads may be seen floating through the air, a good 

 many may still be observed in flower. The wealth of 



