HIDE AND SEEK. 99 



of attracting birds. Among such are the Strawberry, 

 Rose-hips, Mountain Ash, Service-tree, Apples, Pears, 

 etc., most of which have now, Hke Plums and Cherries, 

 been transferred from the agency of birds to that of 

 man, under whose care they have grown larger, more 

 succulent, and at the same time developed new 

 flavours and odours of which they knew nothing in 

 their lower ornithological condition. 



Of these several devices, originally put forth to 

 attract birds, and be a favourite food with them, none 

 are more ingenious than that adopted by the straw- 

 berry. It seems almost a libel upon this most de- 

 licious morsel to say it is not a fruit — but the truth 

 must out ! All of that part for which we value it is 

 the receptacle — the same part on which the combined 

 fruits of the raspberry fit, like a thimble on the end 

 of the finger. Nobody thinks of eating it in the 

 raspberry ; few people would attempt to do so twice. 

 When the florets of the Thistle have all been pulled 

 off, a similar but flattish green receptacle is seen, 

 which country boys will sometimes eat — but what 

 will not boys attempt in this direction ! To com- 

 pare even the wild strawberry with such a tasteless 

 representative, however, indicates what a wonderful 

 change must have taken place at some period or 

 another in the history of the Strawberry. Of course 

 the cultivated kinds are here left out of the com- 

 parison. 



The fact is, the receptacle of the Strawberry has 



