46 MID-APRIL 
to burst its bud ? It bears pretty red berries 
in the autumn time.) Here were whole 
banks of the coltsfoot ; some of the flower- 
heads were still sharply bent downwards, 
but in a few days and with more sunshine, 
they would be erect, showing their pretty 
yellow heads. These again, after a few hours, 
would turn to flat round discs of seed, each 
seed having a little brush to catch the breezes 
and be borne away to grow elsewhere, or to 
be picked up, perhaps, by a goldfinch, which 
loves it for the lining of its nest. And then 
follow the leaves of pleasant bluish-green, 
like a_colt’s foot in shape: I turmed one 
over—it was white underneath ! 
How pretty the dead-nettles are! The 
pale cream blossoms nestling amongst the 
serrated leaves are borne upon upright stems. 
I examined a plant, and thus happened 
upon a clouded-yellow butterfly sheltering 
there. I picked it up and tried several times 
to make it fly, but each time it at once 
sought the shelter of the foliage. The frail 
little creature was waiting for warmer 
