MYSTIC PLANTS. 



409 



flowers, expanding in the morning and closing at 

 night — 



Those virgin lilies all the night 



Bathing their beauties in the lake, 

 That they may rise more fresh and bright 

 When their beloved sun's awake. 



Fig. 84. — Egyptian Lotus {NymphcBa stellatd). 



Either white, blue, or rose-coloured, for there are the 

 latter two varieties, as expressly mentioned by one 

 author. All these features are quite consistent with 

 the presumption that the lotos was of a kindred to 



