16 ALPINE FLOWERS AND GARDENS 



busyness. Some butterflies, too, have made their 

 appearance. For the most part, they are Tyiidarus^ 

 Phyrrha, and Pasiphce, Alpine members of the 

 family of ' Browns ' — a family, as most collectors 

 know, of special complexity and interest, in spite 

 of its usually demure colouring. 



Following the path as it winds up these wonder- 

 fully dressed slopes, and passing several drier 

 mounds covered with the varying forms of that 

 fascinating little * everlasting ' known popularly 

 as Mountain Cudweed and botanically as Anten- 

 naria dioica, we come to some hollows where snow 

 is still sparsely lying. Here the ground is yet 

 brown, but already it is sown with a wealth of the 

 sky-blue Gentian {Geiitiana verna), interspersed 

 with many a curiously silky tuft of the purple 

 Windflower {Anemone ve?^nalis). Close at hand 

 are broad patches of Soldanella {Soldanella alpina), 

 associating with crowds of Crocus vernus and with 

 many a specimen of Ranunculus pyrencBus, the 

 dainty white Pyrenean Crowfoot of such fragile, 

 fleeting flower ; while, on some soft but stony 

 ground near by, we have innumerable moss-like 

 tufts of that little white, yellow-eyed gem, Andro- 

 sace Chamcejasme. 



Wending our way slowly — for hurry were un- 



